Back to School Tips to Keep Kids Safe in the ER When Sports Accidents Occur
It's back-to-school time, which means school sports and sports accidents. The biggest fear of parents who have children in sports is that their child will be injured and have to be taken to the ER. How do you keep your child safe in the ER with all the news about medical errors in hospitals?
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 9, 2005 -- It's back-to-school time, which means
school sports and sports accidents.
The biggest fear of parents who have
children in sports is that their child will be injured. That's what happened to
a Chicago area father whose 13 year-old son was hit head-on at football
practice. He and his girlfriend rushed the boy to the ER, where doctors began a
series of x-rays and examinations. As the couple waited anxiously for a
diagnosis, one of the physicians asked what medications the child was allergic
to, but never once asked if the teen was currently on any medications. When the
doctors came back with a treatment recommendation, the father's girlfriend
informed them that the teen takes a prescribed medication on a regular basis.
Now that the doctors had this information, they realized that the medication
they were going to give to the teen could have had serious side affects. It was
a good thing that the girlfriend knew to ask.
What would you do if your
child is injured and you have to take them to the hospital? How do you avoid
medical errors? How do you avoid medication errors? How do you take a proactive
role in your child's care and serve as their advocate? These questions, and
more, are answered in a new film called Things You Should Know Before Entering
the Hospital. This film gives viewers a step-by-step guide based on the advice
and experiences of experts and real patients. It also answers the question: How
can you avoid infection? Reports from the CDC estimate that as many as two
million patients contract an infection from U.S. hospitals or medical centers
each year, accounting for 90,000 deaths.
In the film, patients and their
advocates are advised to ask the following seven important questions each time a
member of the hospital staff prescribes or brings medication:
1. What is
this medicine for?
2. Who prescribed it?
3. When am I supposed to take
it?
4. How am I supposed to take it… how often, for how long?
5. What side
effects are likely? What do I do if they occur?
6. Is this medicine safe to
take with other medicines or dietary supplements?
7. What food, drink or
activities should I avoid while on this medicine?
"Human error is a fact
in healthcare just as in the rest of life, and we all must be educated on what
to be watchful of regarding things that might go wrong," said Martin J. Hatlie,
Esq., former lobbyist for the American Medical Association and President of
Partnership for Patient Safety. "The film, Things you should know before
entering the hospital, is an exceptional safety guide for everyone who is a
patient or takes care of one. Watch it and learn what we all need to know to
prevent injuries and save lives."
The film should be viewed by the
patient as well as their family and friends. It stresses the importance of
having someone with you around the clock as your advocate for the entire length
of your hospital stay. Available on DVD and VHS video tape for $29.95 at http://www.patientsafetyvideo.com, Things you should know
before entering the hospital gives valuable insight into the potential hazards
of the hospital visits without instilling fear or blame. The film is direct, to
the point and narrated by Emmy-award-winning actor Ben Hollis. Ben's affable
approach engages viewers through his unique sense of compassion and caring
humor. Most significantly, it educates and informs. The filmmakers have included
a comprehensive checklist in each DVD/video so that patients can have a quick
guide to take with them in the event they have to go into the hospital.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb270755.htm