The Health of Local Health Care:
When to Seek Emergency Care
| Emergency Preparedness Checklist |
|
Being prepared for an emergency can help you survive one. Use these tips from the American College of Emergency Physicians to help protect your family. Post emergency numbers by the phone. Include the numbers for the hospital (360-435-2133) and ambulance (911), as well as the police (911), fire department (911), poison control center (1-800-222-1222) and your family doctor's office. Make a list of medications and allergies. Include the names and dosages of all medications--prescription and over-the-counter--that your family members take. Note any foods or drugs that cause allergic reactions. Also include a list of your own medications and allergies in your wallet. Keep first-aid kits in your home and car. Stock them with plenty of bandages and gauze, plus a first-aid manual. Take a first-aid class. It can help you learn how to perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, as well as the correct techniques for wrapping sprains, treating burns and applying splints. Most important, it can give you the confidence to remain calm and comfort others during an emergency. CVH offers certified First-Aid, Infant-Child CPR and Adult CPR classes. Call Linda at 360-435-0514 for dates and times. "Approximately 450 community members take this class each year," advised Elaine Coalwell, First-Aid/CPR instructor. "We also offer Safe Sitter classes." |
Emergency departments are crucial to all communities--they provide lifesaving care every minute of every day. Each year, emergency departments in the United States received more than 100 million visits.*
"The number of visits to emergency departments is growing every year," explained Clark Jones, Administrator of Cascade Valley Hospital (CVH), Arlington. "At CVH we have seen a 27% increase in the past four years."
You can help make emergency care as efficient and effective as possible by knowing how to distinguish emergency, urgent and routine health concerns.
Is It An Emergency?
The initial minutes after an injury or medical crisis are often the most critical. Trust your instincts when deciding if you or a loved one needs immediate medical attention. Symptoms that generally indicate an emergency include:
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Head injury or broken bones
- Poisoning or suspected overdose
- Inability to breathe or shortness of breath
- Seizure or loss of consciousness
- Persistent chest or abdominal pain or pressure
- Numbness or paralysis of an arm of leg
- Sudden slurred speech, visual changes or weakness
- Major burns
- Intense pain
- Severe reaction to an insect bite, medication or food
Call for Help
Calling 911 for an ambulance is one of the most important steps you can take in an emergency situation, because paramedics can begin treatment on the way to the hospital. Don't attempt to move the victim or perform a medical procedure if you are unsure how to do it. And don't try to drive to the emergency room if you or the victim requires immediate care.
The Urgent Care Option
An emergency department runs on an unpredictable schedule, and patients with the most severe symptoms are seen first.
"All patients are triaged by a nurse when they arrive," explained Dr. Andrew Peet, CVH Emergency Medicine physician. "You are then seen in the order of medical necessity. Because of this you may see patients taken into the ED before you, even though they arrived after you.
"Calling the ED to ask how long of a wait there is doesn't achieve anything. The time is completely dependent on your triage assessment in comparison to other patients in the ED at the time of your arrival."
If you have a situation that requires prompt medical attention but is not life-threatening, you may receive faster care if you visit an urgent care clinic or schedule a same-day appointment with your primary care physician. Urgent care symptoms may include ear infections, high fevers and sprains. Ailments such as sore throats and minor skin rashes may go away on their own, so it's generally OK to wait a few days before visiting the doctor.
If you have a medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma, your primary care physician can advise you about symptoms that may require emergency, urgent or routine care.
It's important to have an Emergency Action Plan. What to do when you know it is an emergency. What to do when you aren't sure. When to call an ambulance. Receive a free magnetic Emergency Action Plan for your refrigerator from Cascade Valley Hospital. Just call or email Linda at 360-435-0514 or
* Source: National Center for Health Statistics, www.cdc.gov/nchs
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It should not replace a visit with your health care professional. Call your doctor if you need more information or have additional questions.