Do EMTs look for medical alert bracelets?

Do EMTs look for medical alert bracelets?

We decided to tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about getting medical ID bracelets — how useful are they in life-threatening situations, and do EMTs look for medical alert bracelets. We first touched on that question in our blog post Medical ID Bracelets for Men: Facts You Didn’t Know, but this time we’ll address several aspects of the issue and present some relevant data.

But first, we’d like to thank all medical workers that conduct their noble duty and save human lives every day. First responders, EMTs and other medical professionals that are always first to arrive at the scene, work under difficult circumstances, often risking their own lives. Way to go!

In order to perform this difficult and responsible job, all medical professionals must undergo training that will prepare them for the challenges they may encounter in the field. They have to be able to asses the state of the patient immediately and react accordingly. The first aid they provide can often mean the difference between life and death. This is why there are special procedures designed so that an EMT can gather as much relevant information as possible during initial contact. Their aim is to gather as much useful information on the patient’s condition as possible, and aid EMTs in reaching a decision as to what the next steps should be.

According to these procedures, if a patient is unconscious, the first responder performs a primary assessment that involves the ABS of first aid (air, breathing and circulation). Ideally, the assessment should take about 30 seconds. Then there’s the secondary assessment that includes a visual examination of the patient, searching for obvious injuries, hemorrhages, etc. It’s during this visual inspection that the EMTs are on the lookout for a patient’s medical ID or any other kind of medical tag. This second stage should last for about 90 seconds. All in all, within around 120 seconds, a well-trained EMT should assess the situation and continue to provide first aid in accordance with the information they gathered.

Do EMTs look for medical alert bracelets?
Do EMTs look for medical alert bracelets? 3

Therefore, EMTs certainly search for some form of medical ID, because they are trained to do so, and because this enables them to get important information concerning your health. Medical conditions such as epilepsy, heart defects, or pacemakers aren’t visible through a visual inspection, but they can still be important factors in deciding how to give first aid.

This is why it’s very important to wear a medical alert bracelet or another kind of medical tag if you have health risks. As far as who should wear a medical alert bracelet, you can find that out in our blog post — what medical conditions require a medical alert bracelet.

It’s natural to feel squeamish bout anything that has “medical” as part of its name. Luckily, when it comes to medical alert bracelets, there’s no reason to feel uncomfortable at all, as they are quite nice-looking and can serve as interesting accessories. You can see for yourself by taking a look at some examples from our collection: Medical ID Tag Bracelet with Capsule Tube, Glass Cabochon Diabetic Medical Alert Bracelet, Silicone Medical ID Bracelet with Pin Buckle, and many more.

As you will see, we have a selection of both pre-engraved bracelets for the most requested conditions, and bracelets with no engravings, that you can easily take to your engraver.

Of course, make sure to measure your wrist size before anything else, to ensure the best fit possible.

We hope this post helped remove any doubts about whether EMTs look for medical alert bracelets during the course of their duties, and that this will help you decide on whether to get one for yourself.