A final-year medical student was flying home after a well-deserved break before starting her final exams. Halfway into the flight, an announcement came over the intercom asking if any doctors or medical professionals were on board.

The student was nervous, unsure if she should help given her limited experience, but ultimately decided to alert the cabin crew that she was a medical student.

The flight attendant took her to the back of the plane, where a paediatric nurse had also come forward. They were informed that an elderly passenger had collapsed and was unresponsive. The student and the nurse went to check on the man and found he wasn't breathing and had no pulse. The nurse began CPR while the student assisted, following the nurse's instructions and helping with the equipment provided by the cabin crew.

Despite their best efforts, after about 30 minutes of resuscitation, the nurse decided it was time to stop as they couldn't revive the passenger. The student gave her name and contact details to the cabin crew. When she arrived home, she decided to contact the MDU for advice on what to do next.

MDU advice

The MDU adviser recommended that the student write down everything she could remember about her involvement, including the timeline of events and her specific actions during the resuscitation. The adviser emphasised the importance of doing this while the events were still fresh in her mind, in case she was later asked to provide a report.

The adviser reassured her that as an MDU student member, she had indemnity for any actions taken as part of a good Samaritan act, even though she wasn't a qualified doctor yet. She was also reassured that by clearly stating her role as a medical student, she'd acted in line with the GMC's guidance for medical students by not misrepresenting her qualifications. The adviser encouraged her to reach out if she received any further communication about the incident.

The coroner calls

A few weeks later, the student received a call from the coroner's office, who had been given her details by the airline. The coroner was investigating the passenger's death and requested a factual report of her role in the resuscitation attempt.

Once again, the student contacted the MDU, who helped her draft a clear and accurate report. The MDU also reviewed the report before it was submitted and provided ongoing support throughout the coroner's investigation, including advice on what to expect if she needed to attend an inquest.

This is a fictional case compiled from actual cases from the MDU's files.

Need help? Contact us

Student members can contact our medico-legal advisers for support or call us on 0800 716 646 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

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