Tips to Handle a Medical Emergency like a Pro - Downloadable Resources Inside.

“There is no harm in hoping for the best when you are prepared for the worst.”

If I ask how well are you prepared for a medical emergency and you think twice to answer “Yes,” you are not prepared for the situation. Nevertheless, such questions leave most of us disconcerted, sometimes. Because none of us wanted ourselves or our loved ones or anyone to be seen in a medical emergency. Yes, we eat healthy, exercise, and do a lot of things to stay healthy but none of us know what life is about to throw at us. Health emergencies could happen anytime anywhere to anyone. Being prepared for it is the only best measure we can do to save ourselves and save others.

Being always Prepared:

Whatever the emergencies it can be whether it is of disaster or a medical situation in the middle of the night, they take a toll on the victims and responders, psychologically. The situation might induce, fear, anxiety, and confusion. But with prior preparations, it can be brought into control.

Some instances of being prepared are

  1. Knowing the closest hospitals, and fastest routes to reach them.
  2. Educate everyone in your family on what to do during a medical emergency.
  3. Keep an emergency contact list in your house where everyone in your family can access it.
  4. Carrying a Health Emergency card in wallet
  5. Set up a Emergency card in your mobile
  6. Maintaining a file for medical records

Along with the basic health emergency preparation it is also necessary to acquire knowledge on how to handle some of the common medical emergencies that could save someone’s life someday. It all begins with recognising a medical emergency before it becomes life-threatening.

Recognising the emergency:

The survival and loss of life depend on how well an emergency is being recognised and how soon the help arrives. Chest pain, stroke, uncontrolled bleeding, seizures, insect and reptile bites are some of the most commonly occurring medical emergencies across the nation.

Most of the time, the people who are next to the victims become the first responders before the emergency response arrives at the scene. That’s why recognising an emergency is a mandatory skill set for every responsible individual.

Knowing What to Do and When to do:

Do you know how to differentiate the symptoms of a heart attack and a panic attack? There are a lot of similarities between a panic attack and a heart attack such as sweating, shortness of breath, and trembling. Both panic attack and heart attack induces pain in the chest.

In a heart attack, the pain radiates over time to other parts of the body closer to the heart, while in a panic attack, the pressure stays within the chest. A panic attack induces tingling in the hands, while a heart attack induces vomiting and nausea.

It is necessary to call the ambulance and get ready for CPR if the patient falls into unconsciousness while that is not necessary for a panic attack. Like heart attack and panic attack, many medical emergencies come with similar symptoms, for instance, stroke and seizure. Knowing what to do and when to do is necessary for any medical emergency.

Read our complete evidence-based Health Emergency Guide to learn more about the appropriate actions that one should take during a medical emergency.

Download Health Emergency Guide
Health Emergency Guide for Families by Resolute

Carry an Health Emergency Card:

Your wallet carries many things such as credit cards and photos of your loved ones. It should also carry an emergency health card that could be a great help in times of emergency. You can be an immediate responder for anyone, but time could also put you in an emergency, and place someone as your immediate responder someday. But the best part is you can make things easier for your first responder and your care provider by carrying an emergency health card in your wallet. An emergency health card provides your first responder with your important contacts. It also informs your care provider about your current health state, your allergies, and chronic conditions, if any.

Download Printable Health Emergency Card
Health Emergency Card for Wallet - by Resolute

Establish Emergency Set Up in your mobile:

We might forget our wallet some time, but it is rarely possible to forget our mobile phone wherever we go these days. It is better to create a useful emergency beacon out of something we always carry along with us. Not only the emergency contacts, but today’s smartphones can also carry a short summary of your health conditions, which can be accessed even when the phone is locked. Sharing crucial data during an emergency will help the immediate responders and doctors make speedy and informed decisions.

See how you can establish an emergency setup on your mobile.

For iOS:

For Android:

Maintain a file for your Personal Health Records:

Maintaining your and your family’s Personal Health Records helps in many ways just apart from emergencies. Each time you visit a hospital, a record of your visit will be created and maintained by the hospital or healthcare provider, which is accessed every time you visit the facility. But it is a doubt you will be visiting the same healthcare provider during an emergency and there is possibility for you being hospitalised in there.  Sharing your existing medical records that include your previous and current medical conditions, treatments, and immunisation details would help the new care provider align their treatment to you during hospitalisation.

Keep a Fully equipped First Aid Kit:

A fully equipped and managed first aid box would be easier to reach in an emergency rather than medicines scattered across the whole house. Whether it is a deep cut or after work migraine your first aid kit would be always helpful. However, managing a first aid box is always a mind-boggling task. That’s why Resolute offers a home care kit that can be managed through the mobile app. The Resolute mobile app will help you track the contents of the Home Care Kit, order refills straight from the app and add more contents on the go.

Download Resolute App and get your Free Home Care Kit with a Subscription

The Bottom Line:

It has to be remembered, making an appointment before appearing is not a characteristic of emergencies. But being prepared for an emergency and being swift during an emergency can save lives.

“Anyone can be a hero. You can be a hero. If you don’t know that before, I hope you do now. Because you are going to save a life someday.”

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