How to Handle Medical Emergencies

A medical emergency can occur at any time. As a healthcare professional, you must be able to handle medical emergencies with precision and care. That way, you can minimize risk for all involved in these emergencies. Most importantly, you can ensure any medical emergencies are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

 

Tips to Handle Medical Emergencies

 

1. Prepare for Medical Emergencies

The best way to handle medical emergencies: prepare for them. To do so, you should learn the location and route for the nearest emergency department. You should also have any emergency phone numbers stored on your cell phone or in a place where you can easily access them.

If you are caring for a patient with a chronic medical condition, ensure your patient has a medical ID tag as well. And if your patient lives alone, encourage him or her to pick up a personal emergency response system.

 

2. Try to Remain Calm, Cool, and Collected

It is common to feel stressed and worried in medical emergencies. Regardless, you need to remain calm any time an emergency happens. Take a deep breath and start working with anyone impacted by the emergency. This helps you stay focused on getting the best possible results.

 

3. Call 911

Do not hesitate to call 911 to report an emergency. When you call, provide the 911 operator with your name, address, and information about the emergency. Respond to the 911 operator’s questions and follow their instructions as best as you can until emergency personnel arrive on the scene.

 

4. Administer CPR

Perform CPR or rescue breathing if you are caring for a patient who loses consciousness and stops breathing. You should do so only if you know the proper technique.

 

5. Move an Unconscious Patient to a Safe Area

If a patient is unconscious and in an unsafe area, you should move him or her right away. You can use any of the following drag techniques to do so:

    • Extremity: Grasp and pull the patient by their ankles.
    • Clothing: Pull on the patient’s shirt in the neck and shoulder area.
    • Blanket: Roll the patient onto a blanket and drag the blanket.

As you move an unconscious patient to safety, use your legs and back. This helps reduce the risk of an injury while you drag the patient.

 

 

The Bottom Line on How to Handle Medical Emergencies

Training is key for medical emergencies. If you know the ins and outs of these emergencies, you can address such issues any time they occur. Meanwhile, you can gain hands-on experience with emergencies that can help you limit their impact. You can also use your medical emergency training to become an attractive candidate for healthcare jobs.

 

 

Find a Job Where You Can Provide Support in Medical Emergencies

At Anodyne, we can put you in touch with top healthcare organizations in Eastern Massachusetts. From here, you can pursue a wide range of healthcare job opportunities. Our professional recruiters can help you land your ideal healthcare job. To get started with us, check out our job board today.