One of the most important things you can do for yourself or family member is to have a patient assistant or advocate with you or family member in case of an emergency. When you are having a medical emergency, a patient assistant or advocate can be your eyes and ears, and let's not forget the most important thing: he or she can offer moral support. A patient assistant or advocate can be a good friend, a family member, or a caregiver familiar with you and your medical history.
In an emergency, you might not be thinking clearly. A patient assistant or advocate can review and double check that the medications being given are not on your allergy list on your medical health care record, chart or wristband. They can call a nurse to the room when the ER staff gets busy and does not hear the buzzer when you desperately need help. Just having an assistant or patient advocate can also help when the doctor gives a diagnosis or test results. Patients might not understand everything the doctor says, and the assistant or patient advocate can take notes and review them later or ask the floor nurse to help. An assistant or patient advocate can go with you to the radiology department while they take your x-rays and wait with you in the hallway so you are not alone there until they transport you back to the ER or room. They help review any legal papers that the hospital wants you to sign. They can also present them to your legal guardian for their review.
Why not have someone assisting you in the ER, supporting you, watching over you, and helping to make decisions in a crisis situation. These decisions can be the most important decision of your life. It can also be a great stress-reducer.
The following are some do and dont's for you and your assistant or patient advocate entering the ER:
- DO have an assistant or patient advocate if available when entering the ER or hospital
- DON'T be alone for long, ask a family member, friend to be your assistant or patient advocate
- DO double check every time they give you a new medicine and make sure you are not allergic and
write the name down of each medication.
- DON'T be afraid to tell the nurse or doctor you are feeling worse or your having a new symptom
- DO watch for allergic reactions caused by medications
- DON'T still be in the waiting room if you are having chest pain, you must be seen immediately
- DO tell the ER staff if you are pregnant upon entering the hospital
- DON'T forget to bring your list of medications and medical history with you
- DO tell the ER staff immediately if you are on a blood thinner like Coumadin or Plavic
- DON'T understand the diagnosis? Ask until you do
- DO be prepared for this journey, have a portable health care record filled out before you have
a medical emergency.
- DON'T touch the medical equipment in the room, only the ER staff should.
- DO let you primary doctor know you are going to the ER before heading to the hospital
- DON'T be discourteous to the ER staff. They can make it comfortable for you or very stressful.
Talk to them how you would liked to be talk to.
- DO research Patient Advocacy's rules and regulations by the State that you are in. Some
acceptance forms might be needed to be filled out and signed. These can be supplied by the
various hospital ER's.
- DON'T ever delay going to the ER, with or without an assistant or patient advocate. They can
always join you at a later time. It's more important to get treatment as soon as possible.
Be prepared prior to having a medical emergency. You can do this yourself by listing all of your medications, current and past history, and personal information on a sheet of paper or you can use word, excel or any other software program and create your own medical record.
I would also recommend our portable medical aid products. You can find these products on our website at www.mycare101.com. They can help you prepare for any medical emergency or hospitalization.
Our My Medical Aid Health Card makes it easier to:
- Share medical facts in commonly understood terms.
- Better prepare patients for ER, doctor, and pharmacy visits
- Treat patients in a timely manner during medical emergencies
- Speed up the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses
- Spend more time treating the patient
This card can be hand-written, or you can save the information and update it on your personal computer with a My Medical Aid CD. Also available, My Medical Aid Organizers are a great way to organize your medical health care records by keeping them in a closed binder.
Just released, you can also purchase my new paperback “Are you Ready for the ER?”, helping prepare you and your family for medical emergencies and hospitalizations. Now available on www.mycare101.com
