Submitted 2022-07-22
Emergency medical situations can arise anytime and anywhere. It can be at your own home, outside, or at the hospital. We as medical students should always be prepared for the worst and have a mindset to deal with emergencies. I want to point out a small story when I heard about the experience of my senior classmates who encountered an emergency when traveling by train to go to their home for their vacation. A woman suddenly was in labor pain and the nursing students who were in their final year of nursing school have to attend to the labor with only the equipment available inside the train. They were only able to sterilize the utensils with hot water. They were successfully able to deliver the baby and the mother and baby were sent to the hospital for further management. I was so impressed by the dedication of each one of those who handled the situation without panicking. I believe that it is the most important quality that each one of us as healthcare workers should attain. I still get goose bumps when I ever think of this situation and I still remember how my professors were appreciating them for taking responsibility for saving both the mother’s and the baby’s lives. Of course, both theoretical and practical knowledge is important but although we have this if we stress out and panic about any emergency, then we can’t handle it in the proper way which can endanger our lives. Also. little knowledge is more dangerous, attempt only if we are sure and if we have any doubts we should always ask for help or clarifications rather than putting somebody’s life at risk. So, the first and foremost thing is to remain calm and then handle the situation accordingly.
Secondly, keep the skills updated. Especially in the case of BLS and ACLS keep my knowledge and skills updated by taking the courses and renewing them as per the requirements. Practice makes perfect. If I don’t practice often, then I might develop fear when I have to face any emergency. Also, make use of the training opportunities available in the institution in which we are studying or working. We always should practice our skills which are evidence-based and as per the guidelines.
Thirdly, being confident in what we do. If I am confident, I can work with the team or lead the team and make them confident and can successfully deal with the situations. I should be able to believe that I can do this. Being confident and assertive comes with practice. But that is a great skill that is essential for every health care provider who is dealing with lives.
Fourth, working collaboratively is the key especially if the situation occurs inside the healthcare setting. Working as a team helps to achieve a lot of positive outcomes which is the foremost thing in any field, especially in health care. We should always help each other in case of any difficult times or stressful situations. At the end of the day, all of our motives are to save lives. So, there is no room for any challenges in working together as a team if we do each of our roles smoothly as a team.
Fifth, how we will handle the people surrounding the scene. How to deal with the public, relatives, or friends in case of emergency. Everybody will be emotional and we should always learn to deal as they will be so sensitive to what you are going to tell them. Being empathetic will be so helpful in this situation. We could have seen so many emergencies like this and for us, it’s one among those. But for them, it’s their lovable ones where without them they will have to face a lot of emotional breakdowns. Always be sensitive when handling family, friends, or relatives. Make sure what you need to tell them. If you are unsure, get some help to deliver the message to them. It can be your senior personnel who have experience in handling these situations.
Last but not least, as medical students or health care workers, we should always keep ourselves healthy both physically and mentally. Physical health can be accomplished by eating healthy and doing exercises. Mental health can be achieved by practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga. In the health care field, we come across a lot of burnout due to the stress we have to experience in the workplace or if we are studying we will be struggling to complete the tasks. Proper planning, time management, and balancing work, study, and family will help us to live a peaceful life. If we are in peace, we can help so many people and can give meaning to our profession. We always should lead as an example before we advise somebody to maintain their health. If we are too stressed, get a break and refresh our minds so that we can keep going and do some constructive work in our profession. There is always a solution to all the struggles and being optimistic can do wonders.