What are some common signs of a possible medical emergency?
Generally, in a medical emergency a person will look and feel ill, and often
will deny that anything is wrong. Although you may not know the cause, you
can still provide assistance such as obtaining help for the individual. Any
combination of these may be a sign of an emergency:
Unusual Behaviors/Appearances/Complaints: Victim(s) is/are:
- Noticeably uncomfortable
- Clutching their chest or throat
- Unconscious
- Experiencing unexplained confusion or drowsiness
- Having trouble breathing
- Having weakness on one side of the body or face
- Complaining of severe headaches (“worst one of their life”)
- Having a droop in their face when asked to smile
Unusual Sights: Blood, broken items, people milling around, smoke or fire
Unusual Odors: Gasoline,
smoke, natural gas, unusual odor on the victim’s
breath
Unusual Noises: Slurred speech, screaming, explosion, items falling, glass
breaking, tires screeching, metal crashing
What can you do in a medical emergency?
The American Red Cross teaches these emergency actions steps:
CHECK-CALL-CARE
Check -
Check the scene first and make sure it is safe for you to enter.
- Always watch out for your safety first! If you have any doubts call 911 or
(x1-3255 - Public Safety) immediately.
- Look around the scene to find clues about what may have happened. If it is
safe, approach the victim and look for such things as: unconsciousness, persistent
chest pain or discomfort, not breathing or difficulty breathing, no pulse, severe
bleeding.
- Determine the number of victims.
- Use personal barrier protection when encountering blood or other body fluids,
or when giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. (i.e., gloves, masks, breathing
barriers).
Call 911
- Give them all the information you can and listen for things you can do to
help.
- Give your exact location and landmarks (i.e., Building name, room number).
- DO NOT HANG UP until you’re told to.
Care - If you know CPR, use those skills or follow the instructions of the 911 dispatcher. Even if you just stay with the victim and keep them calm, this will be a big help.
If you don’t know
First Aid and/or CPR, take a class to prepare yourself to deal with these
kinds of emergencies. If you do know these skills, keep them fresh and
up-to-date by taking refresher classes every 1-2 years. Information about
classes can be found at the Campus Wellness Center (331-3659), through
your local American Red Cross chapter (Ottawa County: 616-396-6545 or Kent
County: 616-456-8661) or the American Heart
Association . You can also get first-aid information at http://www.mayoclinic.com/findinformation/firstaidandselfcare
Note: Information
above comes from the American Red Cross and American Heart Association’s
First Aid and CPR training materials.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training. Don't use this information to diagnose or develop a treatment plan for a health problem or disease without consulting a qualified health care provider. If you're in a life-threatening or emergency medical situation, seek medical assistance immediately by calling 9-911.)
