Emergencies of all types can occur when you are working as a medical assistant. Patients may come to your facility with an acute illness or an injury. You may have to handle a phone call from a patient who has an urgent physical or psychological problem. Additionally, you could experience a disaster—anything from a simple office fire to a bomb threat or bioterrorism. As a medical assistant you must be prepared to determine the urgency and handle any emergency that arises. Remember to stay calm and think through each situation in order to respond appropriately and create the best outcome.

Outline

• Understanding Medical Emergencies
• Preparing for Medical Emergencies
• Accidental Injuries
• Common Illnesses
• Less Common Illnesses
• Common Psychosocial Emergencies
• The Patient Under Stress
• Educating the Patient
• Disasters
• Bioterrorism

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 43, you will be able to:

 43.1 Discuss the importance of first aid during a medical emergency.
 43.2 Describe the purpose of the emergency medical services (EMS) system and explain how to contact it.
 43.3 List items found on a crash cart or first-aid tray.
 43.4 List general guidelines to follow in emergencies.
 43.5 Compare various degrees of burns and their treatments.
 43.6 Demonstrate how to help a choking victim.
 43.7 Demonstrate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
 43.8 Demonstrate four ways to control bleeding.
 43.9 List the symptoms of heart attack, shock, and stroke.
 43.10 Explain how to calm a patient who is under extreme stress.
 43.11 Discuss ways to educate patients about ways to prevent and respond to emergencies.
 43.12 Describe your role in responding to natural disasters and those caused by humans.

Summary

A medical emergency can occur anywhere—in a doctor's office, at home, in a restaurant, or on the street. The more you learn about handling each type of medical emergency, the more valuable your contributions to the situation become. You can make a substantial, positive difference in the health and lives of people who face medical emergencies to which you respond.

Always notify the doctor or the local EMS system when you encounter a medical emergency. Do not, at any time, perform procedures you have not been trained to do. Use common sense, assess the situation and the patient's condition, and provide first aid until a doctor or EMT arrives.

Patients having a medical emergency are often under extreme stress. Remember to stay calm and communicate clearly. Communicating with non-English-speaking patients and those with visual or hearing impairments requires special skills. You can develop these skills through educational and training programs you seek out or during routine office visits with these patients.

You may not be present when medical emergencies occur, so patients need to know how to respond to emergency circumstances. Take every opportunity to educate patients about preventing and responding to medical emergencies. Remember to draw on community resources when you provide information or support to patients and their families. There will always be opportunities to expand your knowledge, skills, and network for dealing with medical emergencies in your medical assisting work.