Emergency Room

Ambulance Service

Paris Community Hospital Emergency Room is staffed with skillfully trained healthcare professionals who are in touch with your needs. Emergency Room personnel specialize in Personalized, Comprehensive, Cinvenient Care -- the type of care area residents deserve 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and just minutes away. Backed by the most modern technical services, our doctors and nurses are ready to serve you when time is critical. And, should the need arise, these teams are backed by each of our hospital departments, with supportive services and equipment.

Emergency Ambulance Service

The emergency ambulance service for Paris and part of Edgar County is based at Paris Community Hospital. Owned by the county and funded by taxes and user fees, the Edgar County Special Service Area Ambulance serves people in Buck, Elbridge, Grandview, Hunter, Paris, Stratton, and Symmes townships in accident and medical emergencies. The service is also certified to respond to patients in Indiana if called. It is an Intermediate Level Life Support Service providing area residents with a higher level of pre-hospital care. Services include intravenous infusion of fluids, advanced airway techniques and early defibrillation of patients in cardiac arrest.

The ambulance service will transport accident victims to any area hospital upon request, if their condition permits. If a patient requires immediate emergency care, the patient will be taken to the nearest hospital which for the service normally is Paris Community Hospital. After the patient's condition is stabilized, transfer may then be made to another hospital at the request of the patient or responsible family member.

When immediate help is needed, do not hesitate to call the emergency ambulance number at 463-HELP (4357) or the hospital at 465-4141. Be ready to give the following information:

Your name
Patients name
Address where patient is located
Nearest cross streat
Brief description of what happened and the kind of help needed
Your phone number
WAIT for questions or instructions
STAY on the phone until instructed to hang up

Otherwise, bring the patient immediately to our Emergency Room. If possible have someone notify the hospital that you are on the way.

WHEN TO USE EMERGENCY ROOM SERVICES

Take a person to the Emergency Room if:

There is a cut with significant bleeding, greater than half an inch in length, especially if the wound is on the face or hands.

There is a puncture wound with bleeding that does not stop within ten minutes of firm and direct pressure, or a wound inflicted with a rusty or dirty implement.

The person falls with a hard bump to the head, especially if accompanied by loss of consciousness, abnormal speech, abnormal walking, vomiting, or significantly altered behavior.

The person has a fever over 102.5 accompanied by being sleepy or vomiting.

The person may have broken bones.

The person has burns, especially on the hands

WHEN TO USE AMBULANCE SERVICES

Call the Ambulance if a person:

Remains unsonscious after a fall.

Has seizures or convulsions.

Has severe shortness of breath.

Has broken bones with deformity.

Has chest, abdominal, or pelvic pain.

Is choking, or you suspect aspiration of food.

Patients who come to the Emergency Room are treated in the order in which they arrive UNLESS there is a life-threatening emergency. Seriously injured or ill patients will be treated first as determined by the specially trained staff.

HEART-TO-HEART

It's time we had a little heart-to-heart about cardiac care. A persuffering a heart attack may experience varied symptoms. The primary symptom of heart attack is an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than two minutes. The pain may radiate to the shoulder, neck and arms. Other symptoms may include nausea, weakness, sweating and/or shortness of breath.

Any of these signs could mean that a heart attack is occurring and it is imperative to act immediately. Delay and denial of the symptoms can cause serious heart injury or death. The best results can be obtained if treatment begins within one hour of the onset of chest pain.

Paris Community Hospital personnel are readily available to provide immediate cardiac care which includes the use of advanced medication and equipment. All emergency room nursing personnel have been trained in Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Electrocardiographic equipment in the Emergency Room monitors the heart, respiration and blood pressure. The compact and portable equipment can be used on children and infants as well as adults. Once a diagnosis is established, the patient is then stabilized and may be transported to the Special Care Unit within the hospital or to another facility specializing in cardiac care as the situation dictates. If the physician determines that there is heart blockage and that the patient is a suitable candidate, a drug called tissue plasminogen activator or TPA may be administered immediately.

TPA, a thrombolytic enzyme, is used to dissolve clots causing the blockage. Many times if the clot is dissolved in the early stages, the heart tissue can be saved. A drug such as TPA enables the Paris Community Hospital to provide the best possible care to cardiac patients.