Finding oneself in a medical emergency isn’t something anyone of us would wish. Life is, however, full of ups and downs. You may not want to but might end up witnessing an accident scene or sudden break down of your loved ones due to an illness. In any case, only your presence of mind and First Aid skills will matter in saving someone’s life or reducing the impact of the injuries. Now, the thought-provoking question that you should ask yourself is, “how well are you prepared for emergency medical care?” Asking this question is essential because we live in a country where 17% of accidental deaths occur only due to the lack of emergency care.
Since bystanders like us are often the first to respond to such situations, it is the need of the hour for each one of us to know the basics of handling a medical emergency.
Here are some tips that can be of great help to the accident victims/critically ill person in accessing timely care:
Keep a first-aid kit handy at home and work:
Never mix medicines and first aid supplies with your travel kit or have drugs scattered around the house. Thus, having trained in first aid is the need of the hour. Be sure to tailor the contents of the kit for your family’s emergency needs. All supplies should be labeled and organized in a readily available container.
Place the kit out of reach of small children. Also, make sure to check it periodically and restock supplies as needed. If you need to dispose of any unused drugs or medications, be sure and dispose of them where children or pets cannot find them. Keep the first aid kit for your automobile in the trunk of the vehicle.
Check for signs of external bleeding immediately:
If an emergency occurs, then you must always check for the pulse of the victim/patient first. Once confirmed to be running, you must ideally check for signs of any external bleeding. If the injured person is bleeding profusely, then call for the emergency medical services immediately.
In case of no signs of bleeding, you can check for ingestion of a poisonous substance, heaviness in breathing or acute pain in the heart. If the victim/patient complains or appears to have any of these symptoms, then call for emergency services.
Make sure the injured patient’s airway is unrestricted:
Check the patient’s mouth for any foreign objects that may be blocking the patient’s airway. If the breathing has stopped, you may need to administer artificial respiration. While you help the patient to breathe back to life, request someone to call for Advanced Life Support ambulance.
Stabilize the patient until an ambulance arrives:
Treat the victim/patient with basic trauma care within the first few hours of the incident. Remain calm and keep your patient relaxed in a sleeping position to reduce the chances of any further injury or damage.
Also, remember not to administer any fluid as it may enter the windpipe and restrict breathing or cause suffocation. Do not try and bring a person to consciousness by slapping or shaking.
Whether the critical situation refers to an accident, a stroke, or any other serious ailment, the significance of the first few minutes in saving a life is beyond compare. Having said that it becomes the responsibility of the bystanders/first responders to immediately call on emergency helpline numbers 108 & 1298 for emergency ambulance services. These numbers are operated PAN India to call for help during emergencies. Also, they are operated by Ziqitza Healthcare Limited (ZHL) to provide fully equipped ambulances with trained paramedics on board for all kinds of medical emergencies. These ambulances are promptly operated and managed in Punjab, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh by Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd. (ZHL). So, your one call to these emergency numbers at the right time can help them fill the gap in the emergency response system.
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