THE ESSENTIAL
- Self-driving someone in a medical emergency increases the risk of a traffic accident.
- Beyond 5 minutes of heart failure, if nothing is done, brain damage is irreversible according to the French Federation of Cardiology.
The 15, this is the number to dial in France in the event of a medical emergency. This puts the caller in contact with the SAMU, available every day, 24 hours a day. The caller will have to answer several questions about the emergency situation they are facing, which will allow the regulating doctor to decide if the intervention of a medical team is necessary.
In an emergency, it’s a mistake to call your loved ones
During this call, the regulating doctor will also inform you about the right things to do while waiting for help. Thus, the first mistake that should not be made in the face of a medical emergency is to call a loved one before getting help. This seems obvious in normal times, but in such a situation, many people have this reflex.
“Once in the hospital, you can call everyone, explains Dr. John Torres, an emergency physician in the United States at Daily Mail. You will have all the time.“The sooner you call for help, the more the person in danger has a chance of surviving or having fewer consequences.
Another mistake not to make: it is important not to go to the emergency room of the hospital alone or accompany a person who needs it. It is up to the SAMU teams to provide transport, if necessary. Indeed, as recalled the Ministry of Health and Preventiondeciding to go straight to the hospital clogs up the emergency department, which is detrimental to the entire healthcare system.
The SAMU must transport the patient to the emergency room
But it can also be harmful to the person who needs medical intervention. First of all, it delays the first actions you could take while waiting for help. Then, the ambulance ride is part of the care because there are already machines that can monitor the patient.
On the other hand, when the person in a state of emergency is in the hospital, they should not be left alone. Dr. John Torres, therefore, advises to stay there to check that she answers the questions put to her by the medical teams or, if she is not able to do so, to answer them in her place.
Finally, last advice from the emergency doctor: if possible, don’t forget to take your mobile phone charger if you are accompanying someone to the emergency room. Indeed, the support time is sometimes very long… It is therefore necessary to be able to keep relatives informed of developments in the situation and to have their support.