Ever been on a flight when an announcement came over the intercom asking for any medical professionals on board to identify themselves to a flight attendant? My daughter, Jenny, was nudged from a drifting doze about midway through her international flight last week by just such a request. Unlike most of us who hear this call and simply sit and wonder what sort of emergency is taking place, Jenny got up to see how she could help. She’s been a registered nurse now for just over a year, and along with a British paramedic was the first to respond. Their patient was elderly, had a history of heart problems and was already unconscious and without a detectable pulse. The paramedic performed CPR while Jenny used the onboard AED (automatic electronic defibrillator) and continued to check for vital signs. A second call for medical assistance led to two M.D.s coming forward; one was an E.R. doctor who also began working to revive the passenger. The flight attendants provided support to the patient’s family member, gave the medical folks access to the drugs and medical supplies on the plane, shifted other passengers away from the area and maintained communication between the pilot and the medical pros. The pilot was in contact with the airline’s medical consultants in Philadelphia, and everyone worked together to share information to determine the best course of action. After working for nearly an hour, it became clear that the person could not be revived from an apparent massive coronary. Based on the position of the plane and an irreversible outcome, there would be no emergency landing. Upon reaching the flight’s destination in Europe, the rest of the passengers disembarked while the volunteers were asked to remain and fill out incident reports for both the airline and the local authorities. Jenny reports that she was impressed with the professionalism of the airline crew. She was saddened by the death of the passenger, but she was glad to feel she had been of some service. She felt it was her duty to respond to the call for help, so she felt it was unnecessary for the airline to offer a voucher to each of the volunteers. However, the staff was insistent that she and the others accept them as tokens of appreciation. She says she never expected that her first “code” would be on an airliner at 35,000 feet, and it is certainly an experience that she will never forget. I’m proud that she responded so quickly and instinctively in this emergency. I’m also thankful that medical professionals such as my daughter are willing to step forward and help fellow travelers in distress, and that travel professionals also have the equipment and protocols in place for such incidents. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor