Medical emergencies do not follow a schedule. They can occur anytime, without warning— late at night, on weekends, and on holidays.
It goes without saying that you need to be prepared for them at all times. But what does “preparation” exactly entail? Let’s discuss how you and your family can become better prepared for a medical emergency.
1.) Learn How to Recognize a Medical Emergency
There are signs that point to a medical emergency which every member—even your children—should know how to recognize. Discuss the following signs with your family members, and teach them the best response or course of action for when they occur.
- Changes in mental state such as confusion
- Chest pain
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Difficulty breathing and/or breathing
- Fever of 104 F to 107 F
- Head injuries
- Heavy bleeding
- Losing consciousness
- Severe pain anywhere in the body
- Signs of trauma or complex fracture (e.g., bone piercing through the skin)
- Sudden vision change
2.) Know Your Options for Medical Facilities
There are two types of healthcare facilities that accommodate people with medical problems that need immediate treatment: emergency rooms and urgent care centers. Every member of your family should, as much as possible, know their differences and which place to contact in the event of a medical situation.
The medical staff in an emergency room are trained to treat patients with life-threatening conditions or injuries, the common symptoms of which are mentioned above.
An urgent care center, on the other hand, accepts patients with conditions or injuries that are non-life-threatening, but still warrant prompt intervention. These include nausea and vomiting; diarrhea; sinusitis; ear infections; eye infections; skin allergies; simple wounds, cuts, and scratches; a urinary tract infection (UTI); and minor injuries.
3.) Know the Emergency Contact Numbers
For life-threatening medical emergencies, the number to contact is 911. You can drive to the emergency room, but this could cause delays. Also, anyone in a life-threatening medical situation needs to be attended to by people highly trained and equipped to efficiently handle it. If you have small children, teach them how to contact 911 and articulate the circumstances.
Make sure to also save the contact details of urgent care facilities nearby. While you don’t need to make an appointment to receive care at an urgent care facility, you can let the staff know that you are coming.
Urgent Care Clinic in Fairless Hills, PA
At Patient Care Now Urgent Care, we have highly qualified emergency medicine physicians on our team who constantly strive to deliver prompt and efficient care for an extensive range of non-life-threatening conditions and injuries. We also offer on-site diagnostic and medical imaging services, so you can have your healthcare needs taken care of in one location.
Simply walk in—no need to call us for an appointment. We are open 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, if you have questions about our services or you want to let us know you’re coming, you can call our staff at (267) 202-6433.
