10 Ways to Avoid the Emergency Room

Over the holidays, The Post in Tennessee ran an article one day entitled, "Top 10 ways to avoid emergency room visits."

As a nurse, I believe prevention is key, so I was excited to read the article.

After reading I thought I would share the article's tips with you.  Dr. Kevin Beier, the chairman of emergency medicine at Middle Tennessee Medical Clinic, shared these tips:

1. Use appropriate protective equipment with tools and use tools only for indicated and directed use.  (You can bet if this is the good doctor's numero uno tip, there's a reason.  You would not believe the things that come though an E.R. every day).  Dr. Beier said, "Especially important is use of eye protection with power equipment, hammering, and lawn equipment."  Aye, Aye, Cap'n- we only get one set of eyes in this life!

2.  Use seat belts while driving and especially with heavy equipment operation, such as bulldozers and tractors.  Yes!  The nurse agrees!  I've seen too many people banged up and with head injuries to not advocate the seat belt.  Put it on!

3.  Ladder and height-related injuries are one of the most common causes of serious limb and life-threatening injuries.  'Nough said.

4.  Use great care with pools and use child-protective equipment and close supervision of children and those with heart and neurological problems with pools to avoid drowning.  (That was a very long run-on-sentence, wasn't it?  Glad to see I'm not the only one who writes those now and again :)

5.  Mandate safety classes with firearm use, and don't take loaded firearms indoors.  Now Texas, I know around here carrying and owning your own handgun is like carrying your wallet every day, but this is critical.  Gun safety is just plain smart.

6.  Consult professionals for home repairs outside of your scope of expertise, especially electrical and roof-related repairs.  Yes, Tim the Toolman Taylor is fictional- remember that- he was the figment of a writer's imagination- don't go tryin' it at home if you aren't skilled. 

7.  Avoid high-risk activities such as 4-wheeler, all-terrain vehicle use, and recognize and avoid potentially catastrophic injuries, such as camping/hiking situations that expose one to bear attacks or hypothermia.  Not that y'all would go pitch a tent next to a bear in sub-zero temperatures, but it's a good reminder :)

8.  Be especially careful and aware of kids while mowing the lawn to avoid projectiles hitting kids or backing over kids.  (I know it is entirely not okay that this one made me laugh, but it did.  Nurses have horrible senses of humor sometimes, forgive me).  But do remove all projectiles and small children from your lawn before proceeding with your lawn-cutting duties, please.  :)

9.  Falling on stairs commonly causes head and extremity injuries.  Many of these can be avoided by holding on to the railing and turning on lights.  Yes!  I can't tell you how many hip and knee replacement patients I have at work on a weekly basis due to a fall on stairs.  Usually these are involving more the elderly population, due to those brittle bones I mentioned a few posts ago, so stay up on taking your vitamins, and turn those lights on!

10.  Don't use waders while duck hunting or fishing in boats.  I have absolutely nothing to say about this one, because I have no idea what waders even are.  I'm assuming they are some item of clothing one wears in outdoor pursuits, so just remember to take them off around the ducks or while on the boat.  Apparently, this is important.

--We often joke at the hospital that the reason silly warnings are placed on things is because someone actually did something warranting the warning.  If these are an E.R. doc's top 10 tips, then he has probably had many patients doing things that warrant these tips.  Therefore, we'd all be wise to take heed!

Happy Monday, everyone!

(--Taken from The Murfreesboro Post, January 3, 2010).