General Information – Emergencies

Medical Emergencies

General Preparedness

Preparedness

Always:

have designated roles and specific assigned duties for all staff members
have contact information for emergency medical services (EMS)
have contact information for patient’s physician
know the patient’s medical history
have 100% oxygen available
ensure that emergency equipment is properly functioning
ensure that emergency medication is available and not beyond the expiration date

Common Actions

discontinue dental treatment
assess responsiveness
position patient to ease breathing
evaluate breathing, airway and circulation
monitor blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate
inspect the pupils of the eyes:
- constricted pupils – possible drug overdose
- unequal pupils – possible stroke
- dilated pupils – possible shock

Basic Life Support

Airways, Breathing, Circulation (ABC) intervention for:

Overdose
Trauma
Altered mental status
Diabetic emergencies
Respiratory failure
Airway obstruction
Respiratory Distress

Circulation, Airways, Breathing (CAB) intervention for:

Cardiac Arrest

Supplemental oxygen

4 L/min oxygen via nasal cannulas in patients who are not critically ill and life-threatening hypoxemia is not suspected.
5-10 L/min via simple face mask or 15 L/min through a reservoir mask in patients who are critically ill or in whom life-threatening hypoxemia. Do not keep patients on 15L for longer than necessary as over-oxygenating for prolonged periods can be harmful.

Information provided to emergency medical services (EMS)

Differential diagnosis
Patient’s demographic information
Present medical status – vital sign/signs/symptoms
Exact time when the medical emergency occurred.
Intervention provided in the dental clinic, including any medication.
Exact address and telephone number of the dental clinic.

References/Websites

References