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Patient Safety Topic Information to help ensure that you and your family receive quality health care.

Medical Safety Feature Story « return to medical safety

How to Handle an Emergency The best way to handle an emergency is to be prepared for one. Being prepared allows you to handle any situation calmly, quickly and effectively. •  Keep a list of emergency numbers by the phone. These numbers should include the police and fire department, poison control center, local hospital, ambulance service and your family doctor's office. •  Complete medical history forms. Fill out the appropriate medical forms that include important medical information. Make copies for your doctor, and bring one when you or someone in your family has to go to the emergency room. •  Have a first-aid kit on hand. Keep a well-stocked first-aid kit at home, at work and in your car. A good first-aid kit will help you handle emergency medical situations. •  Take a first-aid class. A basic class will teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and proper methods for treating burns, wrapping sprains, applying splints and performing the Heimlich maneuver. First-aid classes also will help you learn how to remain calm and keep others calm in an emergency. •  Distinguish between a minor crisis and a life-threatening emergency. For example, upper abdominal pain can be indigestion, ulcers or an early sign of a heart attack. Someone who falls down and is unconscious may have tripped or they could have been stung by an insect and be having an allergic reaction. • Know when to go to the emergency room. You or your loved one should head to the emergency room if one of the following symptoms occurs: •  Fainting •  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath •  Chest pain or upper abdominal pain or pressure •  Sudden dizziness, weakness or change in vision •  Sudden, severe pain anywhere in the body • Suicidal or homicidal feelings • Hallucinations and clouded thoughts • Change in mental status — unusual behavior, confusion or difficulty waking, for example • Puncture wounds • Cuts on the hand or face • Glass, metal or other foreign bodies in a wound • Gaping wound with edges that don't come together • Bleeding that won't stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure • Severe or persistent vomiting • Coughing up or vomiting blood • Problems with movement or sensation following an injury • Animal and human bites • Stupor or dazed behavior accompanying a high fever that's not eased by acetaminophen (Tylenol, generics) or aspirin • Unequal pupil size, loss of consciousness, blindness, staggering or repeated vomiting after a head injury • Spinal injuries • Major burns • Poisoning • Drug overdose • Black bowel movements or vomiting coffee-colored materials. If your medical problem isn't an emergency, you're probably better off waiting to see your own doctor. You'll pay less, waste less time in the waiting room and get care from someone who knows your medical history. References 1. “What to Do in an Emergency,” ACEP, 2003. 2. “Is it Really an Emergency?” Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2003. Writer: Gary Gilles Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, MD, MPH Editors: Andrea King, Don Amerman Date Written: 7/21/03 Date Last Revised: 8/4/03 Source of Material: Rockhill Communications, 14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004, (610) 667-2040, http://www.rockhillcommunications.com