What would you do if you contacted the poison center during an emergency and your call went unanswered for minutes… if not longer?
Here are some real life cases, that offer just a tiny sample of the types of calls the Illinois Poison Center handles everyday:
- A mom called because she accidentally gave her 2 month old her other child’s heart medication.
- An ER nurse called about a 47-year-old man who came to the ER with a severe toothache. He stated that he has taken nearly 40 tablets of acetaminophen in the last 3 days to try to treat the pain.
- A parent called because his 2 year old got into the Tylenol Meltaways® and ingested up to 23 tablets.
- After playing basketball, an 18 year old male took two large swigs from a Gatorade® bottle that he found in his friend’s Jeep. Turns out it was windshield wiper fluid the friend had transferred to the smaller bottle to make it more portable.
Imagine the emotion(s) each caller must have felt in those very critical moments. Fear. Anxiety. Uncertainty. Panic. All of the above.
As a resource that serves the entire state, a severe reduction of services provided by the Illinois Poison Center (IPC), due to recent federal and state budget cuts, will affect everyone who depends on it. Wait times for the emergency call center will be the most immediate signs of those cuts.
Every year over 60,000 families call the IPC seeking quick and accurate information for their loved ones. More than 20,000 healthcare professionals consult with the Illinois Poison Center each year because it is the number one toxicology resource in the entire state.
Tell us what you would do if you contacted the poison center during an emergency and your call was placed on hold for too long?
Would you:
- Go to the hospital?
- Seek treatment recommendations online?
- Call a family member, friend or neighbor for help?
How will increased wait times impact you?
Your comments will prove just how important the Illinois Poison Center services are to you, your family, and community.
Please share your comment below or on our Facebook page.
Click the link to read the types of calls we get at the Illinois Poison – A Day in the Life of a Poison Center.
