A300 CREW HAD A PAX DEATH ON THE ACFT ON ARR AT JFK.
Synopsis
A300 CREW HAD A PAX DEATH ON THE ACFT ON ARR AT JFK.
Narrative
CAPT ANNOUNCED 'FLT ATTENDANTS PREPARE FOR LNDG.' WHILE THESE PREPARATIONS WERE BEING MADE; FLT ATTENDANT #8 WAS HDG BACK TO LAST R-HAND OVERHEAD BIN. AS I WAS HDG FORWARD TO CHK PAX FOR SAFETY COMPLIANCE; FLT ATTENDANT #8 TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GETTING OXYGEN FOR A PAX. I LOOKED FORWARD AND SAW FLT ATTENDANTS #7 AND #3 ATTENDING A PAX. I MOVED TO ASSIST -- OXYGEN WAS ADMINISTERED TO PAX WITH SEEMINGLY NO RESULTS. I CALLED COCKPIT TO INFORM OF SIT AND REQUEST PARAMEDICS UPON ARR. A PAX PHYSICIAN WHO WAS SEATED A COUPLE OF ROWS FORWARD CAME TO ASSIST. I CALLED FOR ATTENDANT #1 TO INFORM OF SIT AND REQUEST MEDICAL EQUIP. A NURSE AND THE PHYSICIAN PLACED PAX ON FLOOR AND CHKED FOR VITALS. ANOTHER PHYSICIAN CAME TO ASSIST. 2 PHYSICIANS BEGAN CPR AND THROUGH DURATION OF LNDG UNTIL REPLACED BY PARAMEDICS. AT BEGINNING OF CPR BY ONBOARD PHYSICIANS; DEFIBRILLATOR WAS ATTACHED TO PATIENT. A NUMBER OF SHOCKS WERE ADMINISTERED. OTHER TIMES; DEFIBRILLATOR STATED THAT NO SHOCK WAS NECESSARY. UPON ARR AT JFK GATE; 2 POLICE OFFICERS BOARDED ACFT TO SEE HOW THEY COULD ASSIST. EVENTUALLY; PARAMEDICS ARRIVED; ASSESSED SIT; TOOK OVER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; AND REMOVED PATIENT. HUMAN PERFORMANCE -- AS I PONDER THIS QUESTION: I WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE 2 PHYSICIANS AND A NURSE WHO WERE SO READILY AVAILABLE AND WILLING TO ASSIST. I KEPT BRINGING MY THOUGHTS BACK TO WHAT ELSE NEEDED TO BE DONE; WHAT OTHER EQUIP WAS AVAILABLE. NOT KNOWING WHAT MEDICINES WE HAD IN MEDICAL KITS AND WHAT THEY WERE USED FOR; MADE THINKING OF THOSE KITS DELAYED. ONCE THESE KITS WERE OPENED AT AREA OF ACFT OF THIS INCIDENT; I DID NOT KNOW WHAT ITEMS WERE ALL IN THIS KIT; OR OF USE FOR THIS SIT. PHYSICIAN HAD TO FUMBLE THROUGH KIT TO FIND HYPODERMIC NEEDLE AND MEDICINE (APPROPRIATE). OUR ACR TEACHES US TO REFER TO DEFIBRILLATOR BY AN ACRONYM. I BELIEVE USING UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD TERM LIKE 'DEFIBRILLATOR' WILL GREATLY BENEFIT COMS WHEN WORKING WITH NON-ACR FLT ATTENDANT PEOPLE (EG; DOCTORS/NURSES). I WOULD LIKE MORE INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO DEAL WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS WITH STAGES OF SHOCK. PARAMEDIC STATED IN FRONT OF CREW AND PAX THAT PATIENT WAS A 'GONNER.' I FOUND THIS IN BAD TASTE AND PROFESSIONALISM. I WAS SURPRISED (TAKEN ABACK) THAT THIS PATIENT DID NOT REVIVE. HE WAS ONLY 31 YRS OLD.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.