Useless Information

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

Question: In almost every wallet or car registration folder or purse that I've ever bought, there's a space for name, address, phone, emergency contact, allergies, and blood type?

Do you emergency people ever actually use that information????

(Especially the blood type thing.)

Is it useful to have emergency info in my wallet at all?

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Nope - because rarely does the wallet/purse make it in the ambulance/helicopter with the pt. Even the ICE thingie (in case of emergency) for the cell phone - nope - never ever look at it. What you need is a tattoo on your forehead and then hope you don't have facial trauma - lol.

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Specializes in ICU, Med/Surg, Ortho.

Before just chucking the card, I'd check with a police board and first responder board (fire and EMS) they may not use the medical info but the ICE could be very helpful.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Sorry - I shouldn't have been so flippant. However, rarely does the cell phone come in with the pt in one piece, on the pt, on the right patient or it is locked and we are unable to spend the time trying to unlock it.

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when working on the ambulance on the occasions that the person were unconscious, if the wallet did have the info, the police department would call the person listed.

I did check on cell phones for ICE never did see one. But a lot of times, HOME is listed..that works just as well :o)

Also, in my community we check the car seats if an infant/toddler or young child is involved and the person driving was unconscious. A lot of people have a sticker on the corificeat (somewhere that someone just looking in the window wouldn't see) with all the important info on the child..age, current weight/height, docs name and number and the "to contact" person and/or parents name. THAT came in very handy for me once and several times for fellow EMS workers. I want to say the acrynomn is WHALE..or WAITE..can't recall.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

Blood type is almost useless-we would rarely transfuse without a type and cross.

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Specializes in Intensive Care and Cardiology.

What is ICE?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
What is ICE?

I think it stands for "In Case of Emergency."

I was pretty much thinking the same thing as many of you have answered.

OK, so how about an allergy or MedicAlert bracelet or other medical jewelry? Do you ever really need to have that?

*Asked while tossing junk out of purse with gleeful abandon*

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What is ICE?

It's an acronym you are supposed to put in front of the name of someone you want called in an emergency. Stands for "In Case of Emergency."

In systems I have worked family contact is PD's gig, besides with HIPAA I don't feel comfortable contacting family anymore. Sad but true.

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OK, so how about an allergy or MedicAlert bracelet or other medical jewelry? Do you ever really need to have that?

I can only answer for the EMT standpoint in regards to an allergy alert or medicalert bracelet/necklase..YES!

We (my ambulance associattion) always check for those things. They are very helpful and important in the field. If you have a life threatening allergy or a medical condition, you should have something identifying it in case of emergency and you can't speak.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

I don't see why it would hurt. Yes, maybe in a trauma situation the wallet may not be in one piece/may not be on the pt, but what could it hurt having it just in case it was useful in that particular situation.

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My hubby and I have ICE on our phones, because neither of us list "home" as a number!

My Dad also uses ICE for his s/o because he, too, doesn't have "home" in the address book.

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