Emergencies are often saturated, which affects the care of people. This is why it is important to have good reasons to go there, without taking risks by neglecting real signs of danger. Here are some rules for the proper use of emergencies.
Emergency physicians and nurses have witnessed a constantly increasing number of people in recent years. It is worth remembering that the systematic use of the emergency department, instead of consulting the doctor’s office, is far from always justified.
It is beneficial neither for the community whose care facilities it saturates, nor for the patient who thus deprives himself of the irreplaceable competence and proximity of his family doctor… and who will have to wait a long time before his support if the emergency is not proven.
I HAVE TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY
- persistent pain in the chest or left arm, which may spread to the wrist
- hemorrhage, heavy bleeding, or bloody diarrhea
- partial and sudden paralysis
- significant burn (by degree or area), electrocution
- difficulty in breathing, absence of breathing noticed in someone
- road accident, even if you feel good
- presence of a foreign body inserted and impossible to remove in a part of the body
- intoxication, poisoning, ingestion of a dangerous product
- fall with suspected fracture
- sudden allergic swelling
- any acute, sudden and localized pain (head, stomach…)
I DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY
Situations that do not justify going to the emergency room are all those that could wait until the next day (or Monday) in a doctor’s office. For example (NON-EXHAUSTIVE list from the experience of hospital emergency personnel):
- need a sports medical certificate
- renewal of a prescription
- vaccination
- extension of a work stoppage
- production of x-ray images without medical prescriptions
- pregnancy test without pathological symptoms
- chronic pain that has dragged on for weeks…
SAMU AND MEDICAL CENTER
If in doubt, consult professionals.
During the week, if your attending physician cannot be reached or is absent, dial 15. The Samu can determine the seriousness of the case and possibly refer you to the emergency room.
On weekends, think about the on-call medical home. It provides urgent consultations in general medicine during the closing hours of medical practices, Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Duty doctors are general practitioners, who have their own practice and who provide on-call duty at weekends. This is not consumer consultation, but general medical care that cannot wait. Before you go, dial 03 21 ???????.
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