Health emergencies are unfortunately all too common whether it’s at home, at school or at work. Accidents and sudden illnesses are not always avoidable and people often find themselves seeking emergency medical treatment. There is a natural tendency to panic in situations like these, but it is in the best interest of the patient to remain as calm as possible and take certain important actions that can potentially save the person’s life.
1. Call an ambulance
This is the first thing to do. Call for professional help while administering first aid. Paramedics are trained to be first responders in life-threatening situations. They are trained to administer life-preserving treatment pending when they get the patient to the hospital and into the hands of actual doctors. Calling for an ambulance can also be beneficial to people who do not know first aid as the responder will put the person through and tell them what to do before they arrive.
2. Administer first aid
Sometimes, even major health emergencies can be handled with appropriate knowledge of first aid. First, it is important to stay as calm as possible. Expressing fear and panic is very disconcerting and alarming for the already injured person. Remaining calm assures the patient that they are in good hands and greatly improves their prognosis. Good working knowledge of CPR is a priceless asset in first aid. Getting someone breathing as soon as possible not only saves their lives, it often prevents irreversible and damaging outcomes like brain damage. If the patient is bleeding, stop it as quickly as possible. Using a tourniquet and applying pressure is sure to stop the person from bleeding out. Also, talking to the person and making sure they are responsive and alert will go a long way in helping the medical professionals when they arrive to take over the situation. It also a major comfort to the patient knowing that someone is there offering much-needed assistance and consolation.
3. Visit the emergency room
A quick visit to the emergency room is another way to handle medical emergencies. Sometimes, an ambulance may be too far away and a person can get the sick one to the hospital much faster than waiting for them to show up. The emergency room is equipped with the best doctors and equipment to quickly respond to emergencies and stabilize the patient before moving them on for further and thorough medical assessment and treatment. In some cases, after being attended by the emergency doctors, the patient is moved to the acute medical unit which is designed for a short stay while they assess, investigate, treat, and monitor the progress of the patient. These units are often attached to the ER but also function as autonomous units. Acute medical units are major features of top-notch hospitals around the world. Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Private Healthcare runs one of the best acute medical units in the United Kingdom.
Conclusion
When accidents or sudden illness occurs, there is a tendency for the first reaction to being one of fear and alarm but taking charge of the situation by remaining calm and positive will most often turn the outcome of an unfortunate situation into a positive one.
