Usb ID Bands-Any Paramedics Out There?

[srw]

No.
But I do have allergies to drugs, which if administered, would not have a good outcome for me!

I, perhaps naively, assume that hospitals know about this sort of thing and have the protocols in place to check for allergies - and if you react badly, to keep you alive and as undamaged as possible.

 

[ScotiaLass]

I, perhaps naively, assume that hospitals know about this sort of thing and have the protocols in place to check for allergies - and if you react badly, to keep you alive and as undamaged as possible.

My allergies would be on my medical records but Paramedics may not immediately have access to this info, and in an emergency situation may administer (commonly used) drugs before they can check.

 

[srw]

to all of those with dog tags, do you were them round your neck whilst riding and general everyday living? i have been thinking of getting a pair for a while but think a ball chain would be uncomfortable often? maybe i should try some leather thong (thin leather strip) as i'm a leather worker and i have a leather working mate who does lots of braiding so has miles of thong lying about, or some paracord?
Cheers Ed

As someone who works on a farm you're far more at risk while doing that than while you're cycling. About 50 workers a year are killed on farms, out of a considerably smaller population than give risk to the 100 or so a year who are killed while cycling.

A long time ago I was at the end of the chain for doing the sums to assess the losses from a large farm insurance scheme. The individual and collective stories the numbers told were horrible.

 

[slowmotion]

I'm not a paramedic but I have worked for Warwickshire NHS trust and their IT policy actively prevents any use of USB sticks (or any unauthorised device) for security reasons. I believe other NHS trusts have similar policies.

Yes. Almost all large organisations have the same policy.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Indeed, I doubt any NHS service would plug an unknown usb device in to their computer system and certainly in my experience it would breach IT policy in any organisation I have worked. Personally I keep my vital information in my wallet with my organ donor card and my Costa club card!

 

[IncoherentJeff]

Looked into the USB ID sticks but I thought health services are unlikely to plug them in during emergency work. More helpful once you're stable if you've no other ID on you. Even then there will be IT policies safe guarding from virus's etc. A USB could also smash if impacted.

Opted for one like ScotiaLass linked but I've not used it yet.
Think I might go for dog tags with my name, blood group, allergies and ICE contact details, regularly a solo cyclist/motorcyclist if I'm not conscious to tell them they'd never know.

 

[Colin S]

I use this.

You can use it to list any details and can phone next of kin contacts directly from the front screen
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.winknudge.rideid&hl=en_GB
or https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ride-id/id548626479?mt=8

Free and very useful

C

 

[IncoherentJeff]

As someone who works on a farm you're far more at risk while doing that than while you're cycling. About 50 workers a year are killed on farms, out of a considerably smaller population than give risk to the 100 or so a year who are killed while cycling.

Yep I lived with a couple of physio students a few years back, some of the injuries they described from farm work are horrific. But your employer/someone nearby should have your details on record such as allergies.
Cycling you're more likely to be in an incident where people don't know your details, unless you always cycle with friends/a club.

 

[ianrauk]

Looked into the USB ID sticks but I thought health services are unlikely to plug them in during emergency work. More helpful once you're stable if you've no other ID on you. Even then there will be IT policies safe guarding from virus's etc. A USB could also smash if impacted.

Opted for one like ScotiaLass linked but I've not used it yet.
Think I might go for dog tags with my name, blood group, allergies and ICE contact details, regularly a solo cyclist/motorcyclist if I'm not conscious to tell them they'd never know.

Forget Blood Group, not needed... Paramedics and docs take no notice of it... they would always do a cross match first.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Forget Blood Group, not needed... Paramedics and docs take no notice of it... they would always do a cross match first.

Not quite true Ian. Blood grouping takes time - so in emergencies where someone has catastrophic blood loss they use O - blood as this can be given to anybody irrespective of what their blood group is. All acute hospitals have a blood bank with a ready supply of O- on hand, and that's why the National Blood Transfusion Service often appeal specifically for O- donors.

 

[ianrauk]

Not quite true Ian. Blood grouping takes time - so in emergencies where someone has catastrophic blood loss they use O - blood as this can be given to anybody irrespective of what their blood group is. All acute hospitals have a blood bank with a ready supply of O- on hand, and that's why the National Blood Transfusion Service often appeal specifically O- donors.

Thanks for the clarification - though I am correct about them not taking notice of whats written on tags. (as told to me by a paramedic)

 

[IncoherentJeff]

Forget Blood Group, not needed... Paramedics and docs take no notice of it... they would always do a cross match first.

Maybe but if it saves the universal donor blood, type O (I think, can't remember if it's +/-ve) for someone who needs it more than me, as they would know im A+, it'd be worth it. I don't imagine an extra line of text will cost too much for engraving. Whether they would trust my dogtag and test it like you say I don't know.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Maybe but if it saves the universal donor blood, type O (I think, can't remember if it's +/-ve) for someone who needs it more than me, as they would know im A+, it'd be worth it. I don't imagine an extra line of text will cost too much for engraving. Whether they would trust my dogtag and test it like you say I don't know.

O neg = Universal Donor
AB Pos = Universal recipient

But as Ian correctly states, in an emergency if you need blood, medics will not use information that you are carrying with you. They will cross match if there is time to do so and otherwise they will use O neg.

 

[Berties]

i have worn a onelife id band for a few years, basic details on the slide and a qr details for full medical history using the unique personal code on the rear of slide
https://www.onelifeid.com

 

[classic33]

I, perhaps naively, assume that hospitals know about this sort of thing and have the protocols in place to check for allergies - and if you react badly, to keep you alive and as undamaged as possible.

In a busy A&E, I can say that the checks are not always made. I've ended up on the floor due to a severe reaction to a local anesthetic.


See Reaction