Medical emergencies can happen anywhere and any time. Emergencies such as choking, heart attacks or bleeding force us to make quick decisions to help save ourselves or a loved one. Although help is a phone call away it’s important to have a general idea of what to do when an emergency strikes. Here are a few tips to help prepare for a medical emergency.
Have a plan
Know where your nearest 24 hour emergency clinic is located. Keep their phone number in an accessible place and have a rough idea of how long it takes to drive there (both with and without traffic).
Keep a fully stocked first-aid kit at home
A basic first aid kit can buy you time while waiting for an ambulance or just before taking an injured person to the emergency clinic. The kit should contain all basic essentials like gauze, bandages and pain medication. A good quality first aid kit usually costs around $40.00
Keep aspirin in the house
If you have reason to suspect that either you or a loved one are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. At times the dispatcher may direct you to take an Aspirin. If so, having Aspirin in the house can be a life saver.
Take a basic first-aid course
This is especially important if young children are in the house. Choking is an extremely common medical emergency and a basic first-aid course can teach you exactly what to do before help arrives. A first-aid course also covers CPR which can come in handy for situations such as drowning.
Try to encourage other family members to take the first aid course with you. The more people that know first aid, the better!
Organize your family medical information
Keep important medical information including a history of serious illnesses (e.g. asthma, diabetes, heart disease), current medications, allergies and past hospitalizations somewhere close. Having this information ready to go saves time when it’s needed urgently.
Medical emergencies happen. But a little preparation and planning will go a long way towards making them easier to manage.
Emergency in Houston?
Life Savers 24 Hour Emergency Room is equipped to handle life threatening conditions quickly. Your emergency or concern is our priority! Life Savers 24 Hour Emergency Room is your Houston ER for immediate definite care. Do not hesitate to call us today or stop by one of our houston emergency room locations: Willowbrook ER, Heights ER, or Summerwood ER.