"Is There a Doctor or Nurse Onboard?"

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In 2023 on a British Airways night flight from London to Seattle looking forward to a good rest and holiday, I fell asleep in the seat, however, in the middle of the Atlantic, an announcement came over the Tannoy, "Is There a Doctor or Nurse Onboard?" “You could hear a pin drop” I looked around not a single hand was in the air.

I jumped from my seat approached and talked to the stewardess “I’m an NHS A&E  Nurse, what’s the problem?” The stewardess  gave me details about a patient, my  experienced nursing skills and training “kicked in” in my head, I followed the stewardess to the seat and assessed the gravely ill gentleman before her, who was accompanying his 10-year-old daughter alone. 

I was  approached a few minutes later by the captain and more crew and a plan was put in place including a passenger who asked her if he could be of any help?, I 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.

I was now working on my unexpected  “Holiday Patient”  the captain came back and pulled me aside “do you think we should prepare to divert to the nearest airport”? I 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". I 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 (I won’t announce his medical condition here, its private) and I stayed by his side until the landing whereupon the ambulance greeted them, I gave some medical details of the flight, and in all the commotion I “slid away” through passport control and onto my holiday.

 I am happy to announce that British Airways tracked me down informed me the gentleman made a full recovery, I received a big thank you and small gift from British Airways. 

The card Said.

"You just never know who your sitting next to on an the aircraft, the business man jetting off 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, thank you Alice"

“A Nurse is always on standby”