How to Be Prepared for a Medical Emergency

When you are having a medical emergency it’s important to phone 911. The person who answers will know how to deal with medical emergencies and ask you questions about the type of emergency you are having, where you are, and other questions in order to fully understand what is going on and what needs to happen next. Depending on the nature of your emergency, the operator may send an ambulance and connect you with a medical professional who will guide you through what to do based on the symptoms.

What is most important during this critical time is that you remain calm, listen clearly and follow directions exactly as they are given to you. Timing is very important and could play a major factor in determining the outcome of the medical emergency. So again stay calm and be precise and know that you’re in the hands of people that do this for a living. Their advice will make all the difference.

Know the Best Emergency Room to go to

Where you are when the medical emergency occurs will have a lot of bearing on where you will be sent in the ambulance. The first option should be the nearest emergency room at a hospital. Emergency rooms are equipped for the type of emergency that you are experiencing and they will send an ambulance with professionally trained medical staff who can begin medical treatment on you at your location.

Another option for where to go is a free-standing comprehensive emergency medical treatment center. For example, in Fort Worth and Arlington Texas, the Emergency Center functions as an alternative to hospital emergency rooms. The Emergency Center has everything needed to care for a patient having a medical emergency. They are staffed 24/7 with board-certified physicians, ER trained registered nurses, and they have all the equipment that a hospital emergency room will have including an on-site lab and the full Radiology suite with CT scan, Digital X-ray, and ultrasound. They also guarantee that there will be no waiting when you arrive. Hospital emergency rooms are notoriously overfilled with patience and there’s a chance that even an emergency a patient may have to wait to be served.

Have the Contact Details of Someone to call Handy

You need to have handy the names of anyone that needs to be notified where you have been taken and what has happened so that you can present these to someone who can call them. Many times loved ones have no idea that there’s been an emergency, and by the time they find out decisions have been made regarding the health care of the person having the emergency. To avoid this make sure you have their information ready.

If You Have a Health Condition You Wear a Medical ID Bracelet

If you suffer from any medical conditions that the hospital needs to be aware of, they should be easily discernible on a medical ID bracelet or necklace with more detail given on a medical ID card in your wallet.

Know the Names of any Medication You are Taking

You should also tell the medical professionals about any medication that you are taking. This is important because many medications interact with other medications causing additional health problems. By telling the medical professionals that are treating you about any medication you are currently taking, they can make adjustments and ensure that no dangerous medication interactions occur.

Sometimes we cannot avoid a situation where we get a serious injury or have a medical emergency. When we do however, our preparation will make a lot of difference. Be prepared with these effective tips.