When Emergency Help Arrives on Scene: Three Things They Need to Know

Medical emergencies can happen anywhere. If you’re trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) use or first aid, you may be called on to help until an emergency response team arrives on scene.

The initial help you provide to an injured or sick individual can be vital to his or her recovery. But what’s nearly as important is the information you provide to doctors, nurses or individuals with EMT training once they arrive.

Explain the details of the scene when you arrived.
When you arrive at the scene of an emergency, it’s important to take inventory of what’s happening around the injured or sick individual.

Note the appearance of the affected individual: Has he or she collapsed? Is he or she bleeding? Do any nearby items such as overhangs or possible fallen objects look as though they may have contributed to his or her current state? Once emergency medical assistance arrives on scene, explain – as completely as possible – what you observed.
If you’re familiar with the individual’s medical history, share what you know.
If the injured or sick individual is a friend or loved one, you may already be familiar with his or her medical history or background. Offering this information to a responding EMT or medical professional can be crucial in the individual’s recovery.

Awareness of an individual’s allergies – specifically to latex or certain pharmaceuticals – is especially pertinent. This knowledge can help a first responder minimize the chances of the situation becoming more life threatening.

Also, knowledge of any pre-existing conditions – such as diabetes or epilepsy – that could potentially spur a heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke or seizures may help the first responder determine the best course of action to take.

And finally, make the first responders aware of any medical devices the individual uses. This is important information for a first responder such as an EMT; AED (automated external defibrillator) use can be impacted if the individual has a pacemaker or wears a medicine patch.
Describe the emergency care you’ve already provided.
If you have some EMT training or certification in first aid, CPR or AED use, you may feel comfortable beginning initial rescue measures.

If you engage in these or other rescue measures, it’s imperative to inform the first responder of your actions in as much detail as possible so they understand the injured or sick individual’s condition and what measures may still need to be taken.

Health Ed Solutions, provider of continuing education solutions for healthcare professionals, offers online EMT training. These courses are especially pertinent to an EMT: first aid certification online, CPR and AED certification online and bloodborne pathogens training online. Courses, both online certification and recertification, are designed for medical professionals and the general public seeking to be better prepared in an emergency situation.

The information included in this article is based on the 2020 guidelines for CPR, first aid and advanced cardiovascular care. Read more about the 2020 first aid guidelines.