Tuesday, August 22, when we asked the head of the emergency department of the Nice University Hospital about the situation in the emergency room during this heat wave, he told us that we would see “more heat wave effect in the three days, until Friday.”
Three days later, Pierre-Marie Tardieux evokes a “little heatwave effect”. “We have received a lot of dehydrated patients, elderly people, a few tourists. This represents ten to fifteen additional patients in recent days.”
The manager explains that it was mainly the nurses who made this identification, on the basis of the clinical signs that the patients could have.
This increase in the number of entries was observed “on all emergency services on 06, probably due to the heat wave effect”. A feedback from each service is scheduled next week, to take stock.
In particular to distinguish between entries due to the heat wave and those due to accidents occurring in the summer (and which relate to traumatology).
Isolation, a real risk
Here are the symptoms that should alert: “dry mouth, headaches (especially in younger subjects), severe fatigue, feeling thirsty, apathy (significant in the elderly), asthenia, difficulty moving around, feeling not being able to fend for themselves. There may also be an episode of diarrhea in some patients.”
As a reminder, it is advisable to drink water regularly, to eat enough, to avoid physical activity, to wet your body and ventilate yourself, to avoid alcohol consumption, to protect your home from heat. .
For the elderly, isolation is a real risk. “We must ensure that they do not find themselves alone without being able to call for help”, says Pierre-Marie Tardieux. They must stay several hours a day in a cool place, do not hesitate to spray water on their face and ensure that they are hydrated even if thirst does not appear.
“It is not finished”
For now, emergencies are holding up “thanks to the teams, but we always mobilize the same ones”. The coordination carried out with liberal medicine coming “regulate” also allows it to work well.
If the heat wave should soon be behind us, another fight is coming. “It’s not over. In September, it’s the Rugby World Cup. The SMUR will be mobilized as part of the surveillance of the event. There will be a lot of people, a lot of tourists”. The schedule will still be busy for caregivers at the start of the school year.