Date: 201404
Location: ZZZZ.ARTCC, FO
Aircraft: B737-900
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZZ
Component problem: Design
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty); Flight Attendant In Charge
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Second reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: [Flight attendants] B & C were starting the 2nd Beverage Cart [Service] and found out that a passenger was having rapid heartbeat. [Flight Attendant] A paged for medical assistance; [Flight Attendant] D got the 02 bottle and started 02; [Flight Attendant] B went to mid cabin responding to medical volunteers; [Flight Attendant] C went to get the Medlink headset and EMK for the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.  We had a doctor in 3A who assisted us - A called the cockpit for Medlink contact; B hooked up the Medlink headset; D & C continued service in the aft cabin; B asked A to have the pilots turned up the volume when they said that Medlink was connected. B had a hard time hearing Medlink since the pilot conversation was the most prevalent and loudest on the headset making conversation very difficult with the Medlink doctor.  The pilots (B believes the Captain) were making comments; 'Why is it that we can hear Medlink clearly; but can barely hear the Flight Attendant?;' and 'It sounds like the flight attendants don't know what they are doing.'  B told the pilots via the Medlink headset that she could hear them at least a couple of times but no desisting.  The onboard doctor was having a hard time hearing the heartbeat with the stethoscope and it was taking a long time; the onboard doctor used it on himself -meanwhile the Captain was joking; 'The Medlink doctor wants to go back to watching the Simpsons.' B was worried that the Medlink doctor could also hear the Captain's inappropriate comments.  B went to the galley and told A to call the pilots via the interphone and tell them to stop the nasty comments. The pilot responded with; 'Oh... no more jokes.' Passenger had taken a beta blocker and she felt much better; no more 02; and no further medical attention was needed. The poor stethoscope and the on board doctor said that he had other colleagues that experienced the same problem and that someone could die because of it.  Also the problem with the Medlink headset that B could  hear the inappropriate; disrespectful; and unsupportive conversation that was distracting her attention to the  medical issue at hand and in trying to communicate to Medlink since the loud pilot conversation made hearing Medlink very difficult.  The onboard doctor said that we really needed a better stethoscope (see above statement) and we need to have the Medlink system checked to insure that pilots are monitoring our conversation not overwhelming our headset with their own conversation.  We need a reminder to our Captain and the pilot group that they need to be professional; respectful; and supportive to the flight attendants dealing with in-flight medical emergencies requiring our undivided attention.


Second narrative: Passenger was concerned about her heart racing and [Flight Attendant] A paged for medical assistance and a doctor came to assist. [Flight Attendant] C went to get Medlink headset and stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. I believe [Flight Attendant] D went to get the oxygen and [Flight Attendant] B put on the headset to communicate with Medlink. [Flight Attendant] B was distracted by the flight deck's conversation in an important medical situation.


Synopsis: B737-900 flight attendants report difficulty using the Medlink headset for a passenger emergency due inappropriate conversation by the flight crew that blocks the Medlink conversation. The attending physician believes the stethoscope from the EMK is of poor quality and jeopardizes passenger care.