What to do in a medical emergency

Posted on 18 October 2012

Hennie Madeley, Pretoria branch manager of ER24, explains what to do in a medical emergency.

What number should I dial in a medical emergency?

You can contact ER24 at 084 124 to assist with any medical emergency.

When should I call the emergency service?

Any situation that requires medical attention and which you feel is beyond your comfort zone qualifies as a medical emergency. The personnel at the contact centre will assess the situation and dispatch the nearest appropriate emergency response unit to you.

What should I tell the operator at the emergency call centre?

The most important thing is that you should stay calm when you call. Tell the operator:

Where you are If at home, give a street address and name of your town, together with the name of the nearest cross street or intersection.

If you need roadside assistance, say on which road and in which direction you were travelling and try to give a prominent landmark nearby.

What is wrong Describe the scene briefly but accurately so that the call operator knows which type of help is needed and how many response units to send.

Your name and contact details This information is necessary so that the response personnel can contact you later if needed, keep you updated or give feedback regarding the situation. It is also useful to give an alternative contact number.

 How long will it take for help to arrive?

ER24 aims to respond to the scene within 15 minutes of your call. Because the mobile response unit is in continuous contact with the call centre, they can immediately indicate if circumstances will prevent them from reaching you within this time. The call centre operator can then call on other units in the area for back-up and assistance.

What is the difference between an ambulance and a response car?

There are two types of response vehicle: a response car and an ambulance. The nature of emergency determines which vehicle should be dispatched. A response car is faster and its personnel can administer advanced on-scene care. An ambulance is dispatched to stabilise patients on scene and transport them to hospital. The two teams often work together.

What happens when the response vehicle arrives?

At the scene, response personnel will work fast to stabilise patients before they are transported to a nearby hospital for further care, if necessary. This involves checking for vital functioning to ensure adequate breathing, oxygen supply and blood circulation and controlling bleeding. Splints, spine boards and neck braces can be used to keep patients with bone fractures or spinal injuries still during transfer to the hospital. The response personnel often call the receiving hospital when they are on their way to help the emergency unit prepare for treatment.

 




The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.

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