It’s your worst nightmare come true. There you are, in the ER with your seriously injured child. It’s full of others suffering serious injuries or medical conditions with their family members, all just as frantic as you are. The staff are trying hard to keep up. And there’s all the paperwork to be done.
As the person who, in all likelihood, will be doing most of the talking, it will be up to you to keep your head so that the child can be treated promptly and correctly. Here’s what you’ll need to remember.
- Keep your child calm: It’s hard when you’re panicked, but part of your job is to reassure your child. Do what you can to keep your child as still and relaxed as you possibly can. This will help everyone get their job done.
- Be an advocate for your child: As calmly and professionally as you can, make sure your child is getting the care they need. If you feel that something isn’t right, speak up in a reasonable manner. Remember that the emergency team is doing everything they can to help everyone. If you can remain in control rather than getting too emotional, it’s helpful for everyone.
- Follow instructions: Make sure you carefully follow the instructions of the emergency team. Keep in mind that they are doing what’s best for your child. This may even involve leaving your child with them to get the best care. If this happens, try to keep yourself occupied with other activities so that the emergency team can help your child quickly and efficiently.
- Provide all necessary information: Bring photo identification and your health insurance information or have someone help you by bringing it to the hospital. You will be asked to fill out certain forms and provide certain information, such as medical history, medications the child takes, etc. Your ability to correctly provide this information will help your child get the care he or she needs.
Conclusion
It’s difficult to do, but remaining as calm as you can is the best way to get help for your child. Make sure you treat the staff professionally and provide them with all the information they need to treat your child. You aren’t alone in your emergency room journey–the emergency team is there to help your child.