Tips to consider before you call for an ambulance

“In the ER, nurses provide most of the hands-on care. So be nice.”

That good advice – from an RN named Donna Mason – appears in a recent Reader’s Digest article titled “15 Secrets the Emergency Room Staff Won’t Tell You.”

Here are three more “secrets” that I thought stood out as particularly useful…

“When we arrive, don’t expect us to say hello. We’re focused on the patient. Once he’s stable, then we’ll introduce ourselves.”
—Don Lundy, paramedic

“Not all ERs are equally equipped to deal with children. Check with your pediatrician to see which ER he or she recommends.”
—Joan Shook, MD

“Calling from a landline can save your life because we can pinpoint your location instantly. If you call from a cell phone, we waste a lot of time asking where you are or searching for you.”
—Arthur Hsieh, paramedic

To Your Good Health (and hoping you never need to rely on any of these ER tips),

Jenny Thompson

Source:
“15 Secrets the Emergency Room Staff Won’t Tell You” Ginny Graves, Reader’s Digest, rd.com