Denton County Living Well Magazine Fall 2015

When to Seek Urgent Care, the Nearest ER, When to Seek Urgent Care, the Nearest ER, ororDial 911 Dial 911 AA By Michelle Underwood, RN, MBA, BSN, CEN, VP Emergency Services, HCA North Texas Division By Michelle Underwood, RN, MBA, BSN, CEN, VP Emergency Services, HCA North Texas Division t some point in life, virtually t some point in life, virtually everyone will experience that experience moment everyone of anxietywill when you havethat moment of anxiety when you have to make a time-critical decision to make a time-critical decision because you or someone you love or someone you love has because suddenlyyou become ill or been has suddenly becomethe ill or been injured. Understanding difference injured. Understanding the difference between urgent and emergency care between and choose emergency services willurgent help you the care services will help you choose the right services for the situation to right services for the situation to reduce anxiety and take action faster. reduce anxiety and take action faster. If ItIfLooks Life-Threatening, It Looks Life-Threatening, CallCall 911911 Immediately Immediately AnyAny situation involving loss of of situation involving loss consciousness or breath, difficulty consciousness or breath, difficulty breathing, severe injury, heavy blood breathing, severe injury, heavy blood loss,loss, inability to move, or prolonged inability to move, or prolonged lossloss of fluids requires action without of fluids requires action without hesitation. CallCall 911911 immediately. hesitation. immediately. Do Do not not attempt to drive or or move attempt to drive move a severely ill or person. a severely ill injured or injured person. Ambulance emergency medical Ambulance emergency medical teams are trained and equipped teams are trained and equipped to safely transport perform to safely transport andand perform lifesaving aid on the way lifesaving aid on the way to to thethe hospital. You are not. 911 operators hospital. You are not. 911 operators will assist you in rendering first will assist you in rendering first aidaid arrives. untiluntil helphelp arrives. immediate reddening, blistering, reddening, blistering, orimmediate deep damage to the skin caused deep damage tohot the liquid, skin caused byorfire, appliances, or by fire, appliances, hot liquid, or household chemicals. household chemicals. • Drowning, choking, electric • Drowning, choking, electric shock, lightning strike, seizures, shock, lightning strike, pedestrian accidents. seizures, pedestrian accidents. When to Use an Urgent Care Clinic When to Use an Urgent Care Clinic Walk-in urgent care clinics handle Walk-in urgent care clinics handle minor emergencies and provide minor emergencies and provide same-day treatment for common same-day treatment for common illnesses illnesseswhen whenyour yourprimary primarycare care physician is not available. physician is not available.Treatment Treatment is isprovided providedbybya afamily familymedicine medicine ororemergency trained emergency trainedphysician, physician, orora physician a physicianassistant assistantorornurse nurse practitioner practitionerunder undertheir theirsupervision. supervision. Clinics Clinicsoffer offerconvenient convenientlocations locations with withdiagnostic diagnosticx-ray x-rayand andlab, lab,and and extended extendedand andweekend weekendhours hoursto to accommodate accommodatenon-life-threatening non-life-threatening achesand andpains. pains. aches theurgent urgentcare careclinic clinicas asaa GoGototothe lower-costalternative alternativetotohospital hospital lower-cost ERswhen whenyou youneed needsame-day same-day ERs treatmentfor: for: treatment • Cold,flufluororcommon commonillness illness–– • Cold, sorethroat, throat,earache, earache,congestion, congestion, sore Potentially life-threatening illness cough, asthma, allergies, low-grade Potentially life-threatening illness cough, asthma, allergies, low-grade or injury includes: fever, nausea, diarrhea, headache or injury includes: fever, nausea, diarrhea, headache or migraines, or urinary tract • Stroke – sudden severe headache or migraines, or urinary tract • Stroke – sudden severe headache infections. with numbness or weakness on one infectio

Denton County Living Well Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 16