What would you do in the event of a medical emergency? Do you know the steps to take if you or your loved ones need immediate medical attention?
Of course, the common, and correct, answer is to dial 9-1-1, but this is rarely the only step involved in addressing and getting through a medical emergency. Once you are in the midst of an emergency, there are many moving parts that are difficult to stay on top of.
Having a comprehensive emergency plan in place prior to the emergency will help you in receiving the care you or your loved one needs while keeping tabs on all of the organization and logistical details as well.
Knowledge is Power
Well before you are dealing with the emergency, take the time to educate yourself in common medical emergency situations. Review common conditions, symptoms, and surefire signs for when it’s time to seek medical attention. After all, brushing up on this information takes time, but those minutes will feel like hours if you’re Googling symptoms while an emergency is unfolding around you.
Take into account your current level of risk, as well as the risk factors of your loved ones. For example, if your loved one is obese, consider starting with common emergencies that affect obese individuals. If you smoke cigarettes, consider reading about medical situations that commonly affect smokers.
You will never truly be able to pinpoint what will befall you and when, but having some understanding of common emergencies, as well as emergencies pertaining to your risk factors, will help assist you during a crisis.
Write Down Your Plan
You’ll never be able to write down exactly where you’ll be and when, as you don’t know if or when the emergency is on the horizon or not. However, you will want to compile important information like family contact numbers, hospitals in the area, names of doctors and specialists who regularly see you or your loved ones. Keeping a list of medications you take and known allergies might also be beneficial in the event you or your loved one is unresponsive when medical professionals arrive on the scene.
Once you have compiled a list of useful information, put it somewhere safe and communicate with your family where the information may be found in case you are not present or you are incapacitated.
You never know if that information might be what winds up saving your life.
Seek Professional Help
Even if you’re not actively dealing with an emergency, considering a stressful scenario can be overwhelming and invite many powerful emotions. Sometimes, it will be difficult or impossible to create a sound plan and cope with these feelings simultaneously.
That’s where the counselors at Urban Health Group come in. As professionals in the field, they know the steps to take to put together an effective medical emergency plan. They also offer objective insight, making sure the plan is sensible and realistic.
If you need assistance creating your medical emergency plan, contact Urban Health Group today. After all, a solid medical emergency plan is like an umbrella; it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Call today.
