EMERGENCY ROOM MANAGEMENT -- CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS
PURSE
Check your purse (wallet/bag/backpack) to be sure you have your ID or Driver’s License.
MONEY
Be sure to bring some cash. Coins are best, especially quarters, to use in the food vending machines or pay phones. Cell phone use is often prohibited in hospitals.
PAPERWORK
Bring the insurance card or Medicaid card or other similar documents.
PHONE CHARGER
Remember the cell phone AND charger. Emergency room visits usually take several hours and require many phone calls to update concerned friends, which drains the battery quickly.
JACKET
Emergency rooms and hospitals are notoriously cold places.
PAPER AND PEN
Bring a notebook and pen. A pencil lead might break, but a pen is less likely to run out of ink. Any small notebook or spiral is fine. These can be used for taking notes about doctor’s visits, writing down questions to ask, recording information that might be needed later, and entertaining the patient or guests, with a place for doodling, writing, drawing, or playing games such as Tic-Tac-Toe, Hangman, or other pencil-and-paper games.
FOOD
Take a snack, even if it is just a bag of chips or an apple or candy bar. It is important to be able to have a snack even if the vending machines are empty, the cafeteria is closed, or you have forgotten your money. Although staying hydrated is also important, water is available for free in the water fountains.
BOOK or DECK OF CARDS
“Handheld devices" that are electronic are often not allowed because they may interfere with medical equipment. Boredom leads to crankiness, which won't help the situation at all, so guard against it with the original handheld devices of a book or deck of cards.
TOOTHBRUSH
Scrubbing with a bit of cool water can help you stay feeling fresh and clear-headed, which is critical when you are dealing with important decisions about healthcare.
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