Re: OT: In Case of Emergency

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 01:06:25 +0100, "Alex W." <ingilt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>
>"Tiger Bob" <tigrbobNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:eat1h15se5kcop0bb7uiqu0b51eppe0iqr@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>> -=THIS=- EMS person doesn't have the time to check your
>cell phone.
>> They do that at the hospital. I'm too busy trying to save
>your life.
>
>Several of my friends who use PDAs (mostly Blackberry these
>days) have taken to entering more complete emergency
>information, in order to make your job easier. You don't
>think it would be useful to know whether I am haemophiliac,
>asthmatic, or carry the HIV or HepC virus while you are
>trying to save my life?

That would be wonderful to know! The truth of it is that there is my
partner and me. We're too busy to start looking through a patient's
wallet, purse, PDA, cell phone, laptop, etc., for the chance of info.
We take it for granted that everybody has HIV, HCV, etc., and act
accordingly. We check for the things that we can resolve in the field
(such as low blood sugar) and tend to ignore the things that we can't
do anything about. We leave that for the folks at the ER where they
can assign a clerk or tech to sort through all of the personal
belongings. I'm not saying not to have the info; it's a great idea!
Just don't expect the paramedics to look for it. Imagine this
scenario: You drive past a horrific car accident. There is the victim
on the pavement bleeding profusely while the medic stands nearby
scrolling through the victim's PDA. Wouldn't you wonder "Why don't
they do something for the victim?"

My opinion is to carry a list of your medications and allergies in
your wallet, enter your emergency contact info into your cell phone,
have a file with your medical history on your PDA. These will be
useful! Just don't be upset that the paramedics don't take the time to
look at these things.

Tiger Bob

---------------
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an
invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building,
write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone,
comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate,
act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch
manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently,
die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. - L. Long
.

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