"Is There a Doctor Onboard?"
The Story of Our Alice
In 2023 on a British Airways night flight from London to Seattle looking forward to a good rest and holiday, Alice fell asleep in the seat, however, in the middle of the Atlantic, an announcement came over the Tannoy, "Is There a Doctor Onboard?" “You could hear a pin drop” Alice says, she looked around not a single hand was in the air.
Alice jumped from her seat approached and talked to the stewardess “I’m an NHS ER Nurse, what’s the problem?” The stewardess gave Alice details about a patient, Alice's experienced nursing skills and training “kicked in” Alice followed the stewardess to the seat and assessed the gravely ill gentleman before her, who was accompanying his 10-year-old daughter alone.
Alice was approached a few minutes later by the captain and more crew and a plan was put in place including a passenger that who asked her if he could be of any help, Alice replied “as soon as I get some fluid in to him on a drip you will need to hold high the bag high”, he did.
Alice was now working on her unexpected “Holiday Patient” the captain came back and pulled Alice aside “do you think we should prepare to divert to the nearest airport”? Alice replied “No I’ve got this, just carry on and put your foot down, make sure an ambulance is waiting on the tarmac and not the stand as they will have to stretcher him off straight to hospital". Alice got some basic emergency supplies from the crew and worked on the gentleman, while also comforting the man’s daughter who was clearly upset.
After an hour or so the gentleman started to recover somewhat (we won’t announce his medical condition here, its private) and Alice stayed by his side until the landing whereupon the ambulance greeted them, Alice gave some medical details of the flight, and in all the commotion she “slid away” through passport control and onto her holiday.
Alice is happy to announce that British Airways tracked Alice down informed her the gentleman made a full recovery, she received a big thank you and small gift from British Airways.
You just never know who your sitting next to on an aircraft, the business man jetting for his next big deal, the young teen girl model waiting for that cat walk exposure, a young child actor in the making, or an angle with no wings, well, that’s a Nurse.
“A Nurse is always on standby”
