Tronetti: What to do after calling 9-1-1
My patient couldn’t breathe.
Miss Berta had been hospitalized multiple times with heart failure. Now she had pneumonia, too.
We started treatment in the office and told her that we called 9-1-1.
Barely able to talk, she managed to whisper, “I hope . . .”
She gasped for air, “I hope . . .”
We leaned in close, “What do you hope, Miss Berta?”
With great effort, she replied, “I hope they’re as cute as the guys who always come to my house!”
Our emergency medical services crews are always ready to save our lives. But what can we do to help those people who are there to help us?
It starts with a phone call. You’ll be asked your address and what kind of help you need. Once the dispatcher knows this, the team is on the way.
But it doesn’t stop there. The dispatcher will ask for more details and as you answer, their fingers are flying on the computer keyboard. The information is being relayed to the rescue vehicle that is speeding to your address.
But will they be able to spot your address on a rainy night with a life hanging in the balance? It may be time to post new reflective numbers, paint the address on the curb and make sure house numbers are well-lighted.
Once inside, the crew will begin their assessment and they will need to know more about their patient. When someone you love is in distress, you can barely remember their name, let alone their medicines.
That’s where the Vial of Life comes in. This easily identifiable container can store crucial medical information. These are available at no cost online or through Brevard County EMS at 321-633–2056. But even a homemade list clipped to the refrigerator door will help.
As the team works, they will be communicating among themselves and often with the emergency room. As soon as the patient is safe to move, they will head to the hospital.
Yes, you can ride in the ambulance with your loved one.
You will be needed in the emergency room, where they will want more precise details like the exact timing of symptoms. And you may recall other symptoms that you couldn’t remember during the crisis.
And let’s not forget that the people who got you though the crisis aren’t just folks who know how to pick someone up and drive to the hospital really fast. They are trained medical professionals.
Emergency medical technicians complete 80 to 106 hours of training (one college semester). They can perform CPR and begin other initial treatments. Many EMTs get up to 250 hours of additional training to add to their skills.
Paramedics finish a total of four semesters of college classes. That’s over 1,100 hours, plus 500 hours of internships and field training. They perform advanced cardiac life-support, administer IV fluids, as well as other complex procedures.
Is there a way to “behave” if you are in need of 9-1-1? Here are my four don’ts.
•Don’t minimize your symptoms. If you are in pain, feel like you're going to throw up or may pass out — say something!
•Don’t be afraid to be afraid. You are sick and you are scared. It’s OK.
•Don’t be self-conscious. You don’t have to shower and shave your legs before you call. The team doesn’t care about stained pajamas and mismatched socks. They care about you.
•Don’t be shy about calling for help if you or your loved one is ill and needs immediate assistance. Too often I have heard someone say, “I couldn’t catch my breath but I didn’t want to bother anyone” or “I figured that my neighbor would help pick him up off the floor tomorrow.” That is how illnesses turn into tragedies.
The crew arrived within minutes and as usual, the guys and gals looked as good to us as if they just walked off the cover of People magazine.
Miss Berta managed a sly smile and winked as she was whisked out the door. We knew she’d be OK.
Dr. Pamela Tronetti, a member of the Parrish Medical Group, is an osteopathic physician who specializes in geriatric medicine. Although she writes on a variety of topics, her practice focuses on people of advanced age, and patients with dementia. Names have been changed in her column to protect patients’ privacy.
Our emergency medical services crews are always ready to save our lives. But what can we do to help those people who are there to help us?
It starts with a phone call. You’ll be asked your address and what kind of help you need. Once the dispatcher knows this, the team is on the way.