Medical alert jewellery

[admin]

I’m planning to get some sort of medical alert jewellery but I wanted to get opinions on the best type (necklace vs bracelet) and what should go on it. Especially those who work in the medical field, what do you look for?

So far I’m thinking a necklace with the star of life on one side, to make it clear what it is. The other side will have my name, date of birth, NHS number, the fact I’m an organ donor, and the fact I take opioid painkillers. Out of all my meds, I figure the opiods are most likely to cause a problem if I’m being treated outside of a hospital. I’d like to avoid being pumped full of morphine and accidentally ODing if I can. I realise naloxone exists but I’d still not like to do that.

Is there anything else I should put on? There’s not a lot of room. I do have a card in my wallet that has a list of my medications, a brief medical history and my next of kin details but I might not always have my wallet.

The likely hood of me ever being in a situation where I’m unconscious is slim but I do have a complex medical history and I don’t want to take any chances.

I appreciate any feedback, thanks

[admin]

I’m not in the medical field, but depending on your medical issue(s). You may want to consider a Road ID with an online profile. The ID itself can include some information, then the online profile allows you to fill-in medical information (conditions, doctors, medicines, etc) which can accessed by phone or online by first responders.

[admin]

I recently had the need for a med-ID. I have my name on it, the medication that will cause issues if I can’t relay it, and a contact number of my family member. I figure they can say that they found me unconscious and my family member would be able to respond to that.

[admin]

SOS24 said: ↑
I’m not in the medical field, but depending on your medical issue(s). You may want to consider a Road ID with an online profile. The ID itself can include some information, then the online profile allows you to fill-in medical information (conditions, doctors, medicines, etc) which can accessed by phone or online by first responders.
Click to expand…
I like those but pretty much anything digital is useless if the first responders that arrive do not have anything to get online. That kind of stuff also adds time to having to log in and look up in an emergency. My dept is volunteer based and rural, frankly that kind of equipment is the last thing in our budget. Being rural we also are in an area where any signal is spotty at best.

I suggest (and have) a clear easy to read tag with the important info deeply etched in it. I like necklaces but we are also taught to look for bracelets. I also have a card that is in front of my licenses in my wallet that goes into further details. If I’m unresponsive they have to pull it out to ID me.

[admin]

neo71665 said: ↑
I like those but pretty much anything digital is useless if the first responders that arrive do not have anything to get online. That kind of stuff also adds time to having to log in and look up in an emergency. My dept is volunteer based and rural, frankly that kind of equipment is the last thing in our budget. Being rural we also are in an area where any signal is spotty at best.

I suggest (and have) a clear easy to read tag with the important info deeply etched in it. I like necklaces but we are also taught to look for bracelets. I also have a card that is in front of my licenses in my wallet that goes into further details. If I’m unresponsive they have to pull it out to ID me.
Click to expand…
That is why I included I wasn’t a first responder.

The tag itself has room for a couple lines of text (24 characters each) or add-on badges that can include a short statement “diabetic”, etc.

Also, online is not the only option, a phone call is as well.

[admin]

I tried to wrap my mind around this scenario (being found unconscious and needing help) as well.

My “solution”, far from being perfect, was to create a small print-out the size of a credit card, which is laminated to make it water, dust, etc. proof; it gets carried in my wallet.

One side contains my name, medical info, blood type, vaccinations and allergies as well as my health care insurance.

The other side has my personal data (name, year of birth, home address) as well as my relatives and their mobile phone numbers.

The later acts also as a “:censored: my smartphone went dead and I need to call someone to pick me up, etc.” so-called paper mini contact list. I hope that the first responder will also make use of this phone list (with name and relationship-status) to call a family member for further information.

Update: in addition I have a “In case of emergency: my wifes name and her mobile phone number” as the scrolling text on my smartphone lock screen. So if someone just grabs my phone and touches the display or presses the on/off button there is a chance that he/she sees it and calls this number from their phone.

[admin]

I use a road id that sleeves around my watch band. I also have dog tags stamped with my medical information. The tags are on my keys now. I wear the road id most of the time I am considering getting something new

[admin]

thegrouch314 said: ↑
I’m planning to get some sort of medical alert jewellery but I wanted to get opinions on the best type (necklace vs bracelet) and what should go on it. Especially those who work in the medical field, what do you look for?

So far I’m thinking a necklace with the star of life on one side, to make it clear what it is. The other side will have my name, date of birth, NHS number, the fact I’m an organ donor, and the fact I take opioid painkillers. Out of all my meds, I figure the opiods are most likely to cause a problem if I’m being treated outside of a hospital. I’d like to avoid being pumped full of morphine and accidentally ODing if I can. I realise naloxone exists but I’d still not like to do that.

Is there anything else I should put on? There’s not a lot of room. I do have a card in my wallet that has a list of my medications, a brief medical history and my next of kin details but I might not always have my wallet.

The likely hood of me ever being in a situation where I’m unconscious is slim but I do have a complex medical history and I don’t want to take any chances.

I appreciate any feedback, thanks
Click to expand…

Who is going to pump you full of morphine outside of a hospital? EMS?

[admin]

Just a thought from a paramedic. If you’re considering medical alert jewelry keep it simple. I would suggest the reason you have the jewelry IE diabetic and any drug allergies. We don’t need your name, blood type, address blah blah blah. We nor would any hospital administer blood without doing our own verification first. In a true emergency the more simple the better. If you would like to keep more information in your wallet or phone that’s fine but most likely it’s not going to make a difference to those of us who are in the field.

[admin]

Unless your shirt is being cut off, I would rarely notice a medical necklace. A lot of people wear all sort of necklaces. Get a bracelet. Your wrist is more or less always exposed. Your radial pulse the first location to be palpated for a circulation check.

Keep it simple: major medical condition, allergies, ICE contact, code status (provider ##)

ie. (-) L lung (which explained why absent lung sounds and unequal rise/fall and has prevented an unnecessary field needle decomp), HTN, COPD, deaf; NKDA; xxx-xxx-xxxx; full code

An intensive list of medical related information can be kept in your wallet and/or phone for a backup. It will probably not help any pre-hospital personnel but best to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Check your OS of your phone, there tends to be a nice place to organize/input your medical information.

[admin]

AlteredMentalStatus said: ↑
ie. (-) L lung (which explained why absent lung sounds and unequal rise/fall and has prevented an unnecessary field needle decomp), HTN, COPD, deaf; NKDA; xxx-xxx-xxxx; full code
Click to expand…
Can you please provide a reference for more details, etc.?

Is this US-only or does this also apply to world-wide EMS skills to read & understand & “decrypt” those codes?

[admin]

FiaOlleDog said: ↑
Can you please provide a reference for more details, etc.?

Is this US-only or does this also apply to world-wide EMS skills to read & understand & “decrypt” those codes?
Click to expand…
It is just a made up example of things I have seen before, just common abbreviation for the medical field.
HTN: Hypertension
COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
CHF: Congestive Heart Failure
DM I/II: Diabetes Mellitus I or II
Sz/EpSe: Epileptic Seizure
NKDA: no known drugs allergies
PCN: penicillin​

Code status refers to what going to happen if you have no pulse and no respiratory rate (coded).
Full code: CPR
Partial code: CPR with comfort measure but no advance airways (king/et tubes)
DNR/no code: no CPR but comfort measures​
In my region of employment, an engraved medical ID with a medical provider (MD/DO/NP/PA) licensure number is a valid standing order for EMS personnel.

Addition of special population consideration is helpful for me at least. If someone is initially unconscious and comes to, I always find knowing if they are blind/deaf/austistic (due to medical jewellery or context clues on-scene) helps my first interaction with them be more positive.

Best to make sure your medical abbreviation match to what EMS personnel use in your place of residence.

[Author]

Posts