First Aid 101: What To Do Before the Ambulance Arrives
If your family member, friend, or anyone else around you needs emergency care, make sure you call 120/999 to get an ambulance. While you wait for emergency responders to arrive, here are some things you can do. These simple procedures will greatly aid the emergency responders and the patient they will treat.
Check their breathing and blood circulation.If you determine that the patient is not breathing and has no pulse, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but only if you have been trained in this life-saving technique.
Stay calm; do not panic or get anxious. This will reassure the patient that help is on the way.
Make the patient as comfortable as possible.
Gather the following information so that it is ready for emergency responders:
A list of the patient’s medications
A list of the patient’s allergies
The patient’s medical history (what conditions do they see a doctor for? Do they suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure? Have they ever had a heart attack or stroke? etc.)
Move all furniture or obstacles out of the way so that emergency responders have easy access to the patient.
Remember to keep track of the time. This is very important. When was the last time you talked to the patient? How long has his/her medical condition existed?
The Department of Emergency Medicine at Beijing United Family Hospital is the place to come for care and consultation for most common emergencies. We can also make appropriate recommendations when necessary. Our doctors are trained and experienced emergency physicians.
We have in-house specialists, including a pediatrician and obstetrician, 24 hours a day. Our facilities are specially organized for emergencies. Hospital operating rooms, as well as a supply of triple-tested blood, are available 24 hours a day.
Among many situations, we are equipped to deal with:
Pediatric emergencies and pediatric surgeries
Medical emergencies: gastrointestinal hemorrhages, asthma attacks, respiratory distress, ketoacidosis
Surgical trauma with massive bleeding, appendicitis, acute urinary calculus, gall stones
Acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarctions, and other cardiac diseases
Orthopedic trauma surgery: fractures, dislocations, injuries to neurovascular soft tissues
Strokes, including strokes that require emergency operation or catheterization
Neurosurgery emergencies: head injuries, brain hemorrhages that require catheterization or emergency operation
Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Not sure what to do in any sort of medical emergency? Read our article about first-aid basics.
Worried about concussions? Check out our advice on the matter.
Want to keep your kids safe this summer? Look into our top tips for summer safety for kids.