ICE - In Case of Emergency

[thbarnes]

This is an original, ongoing work...

You may have received an email or seen a local news report on "ICE". "ICE" was all the rage in 2005 but continues to crop up here are there. The concept behind ICE is that it's a number saved on your cellphone under the contact name "ICE", which stands for In Case of Emergency, which Paramedics can use to contact your loved ones in an emergency situation.

I have news. I will never look through your phone to contact your next of kin unless you are dead and the police officer or coroner ask me to. If you are in a truly life-threatening emergency, the last thing I'm going to do is play with your phone, nor do I want to share the play-by-play with your blubbering family.

I will be busy performing a rapid assessment to determine the extent of your illness or injury, obtaining vital signs, establishing vascular access, and providing supplemental oxygen and ventilation, if needed. If you were in an accident, I will be working hard to maintain your cervical spine. If you are a cardiac patient, I will be attaching and reading the ECG machine, measuring out precise medications, and monitoring your response.

In other words, ICE is stupid.

However, I do recommend the following:

If you choose to down three six packs of beer, break into the YMCA pool, and decide to dive into the shallow end, please leave your car keys on the lifeguard's seat. I will return for your car after my shift is over.

If you are diabetic and choose to skip your insulin for three days and eat seven boxes of Little Debbies instead, please leave your best recipe on a post-it note next to be bed, because we both know you like to eat, don't you?

If you have a rare medical disorder, please make sure no one in your family knows what it's called. But do tell your family to call 911 periodically when you are sleeping to report "seizures".

If you are planning on getting crazy on PCP today, please do us a favor and remove your clothes ahead of time, you're going to do it anyways, sometime between throwing the television at the police and them tazing you four times.

[mustangman]

lmao

[Dustdevil]

In other words, ICE is stupid.

ICE isn't stupid.

But the egocentric belief that ICE was developed solely for the use and convenience of paramedics is pretty stupid.

I do hope that you were just joking, and don't actually subscribe to that belief.

[Jess]

ICE is actually a pretty smart idea. I dont use it for the convenience of paramedics, I use it for the convenience of ANYONE who should come across me if i'm unconscious or cant speak for myself or just whatever emergent situation should arise. They can call an ICE Contact and atleast know who I am, my allergies, medications, since I dont always carry my purse with me, usually just my cellphone. Each time i get a new cellphone thats the first thing I do is update my ICE contacts. Its a pretty neat idea! it still doesn't keep me from carrying a card with my allergies and pertinent medical history on it pain in the ass to go through a cellphone. just my 2 cents worth

[vivibonita]

I have news. I will never look through your phone to contact your next of kin unless you are dead and the police officer or coroner ask me to. If you are in a truly life-threatening emergency, the last thing I'm going to do is play with your phone, nor do I want to share the play-by-play with your blubbering family.

Maybe you won't look through someone's cell phone, but the person(s) who will assume care of your pt. might. So don't worry, don't sweat it... someone will take care of that for you.

The ICE thing has actually been done by people who is pretty aware of their condition, just like SJ said IN CASE they are found unconcious on the side of the road by non-medical people. But you know, sometimes when they are having an emergency they'd rather call 911, so they can get help from professionals, instead of their family members.

Rock on.

[fireflymedic]

As far as ICE, I've never used it, but had it used on myself once. I was unable to give appropriate response to answers due to medical issues and the first thing the medic did was grab my cell phone and call the first number on it which happened to be my best friend and person I used as my contact anyway. I'd be willing to use it, though I rarely search my patients for things for fear of what I may be stuck with (we don't deal with the best and the brightest here)....

[FFEMTKeener]

while i can agree with you for the most part. ICE is actually a tool worth it's weight in SOME cases. I've used it a few times on some called. Granted if your in serious shape the last thing i'm going to do is worry bout finding someone in your phone. But i actually had a guy with dementia wonder off and he had his cell phone on him with his daughters # and ICE. Called it and got him home safely. So it in some degree does serve a purpose

[Jess]

As far as ICE, I've never used it, but had it used on myself once. I was unable to give appropriate response to answers due to medical issues and the first thing the medic did was grab my cell phone and call the first number on it which happened to be my best friend and person I used as my contact anyway. I'd be willing to use it, though I rarely search my patients for things for fear of what I may be stuck with (we don't deal with the best and the brightest here)....

Its a great tool! Only downfall to it, is in my area and i'm quite sure in other areas, you are not allowed to search through a pts personal belongings to find info on them--that includes cellphones. I still use ICE on my phone but I also carry a laminated index card on me to work or anywhere I go where I could potentially be away from home for a extended period of time. It lists all my info, medical problems, allergies and medications. It has come in handy more times than once though! Is a cheap method to the medic alert bracelets and such

[Eydawn]

ICE is a very good tool if it's used. If you don't have time to use it, then oh well! The bored tech in the ER will get stuck with it, or registration will end up with it. Who says the relatives need to know the second something happens? It's especially useful if they're going to have to take the patient into surgery... helps the hospital get family involved in the decision, in my opinion.

It's very good for laymen. They know about it, and often have more time to use it than the medics do, because while they're waiting for the medics to get to the scene there usually isn't a whole lot for them to do...

I personally have my emergency contact people both in my phone and on my medical info card that lives in my wallet. My shiny steel bracelet says my name, what I'm allergic to, that I have asthma, and to see my wallet card. *shrugs* There is more than one way to identify a patient... or skin a cat!

Wendy

CO EMT-B