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Medical Emergencies

The Hospital Santander has emergency care 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

Click here if you need urgent medical attention in this moment

We provide you with first aid information that can be done while the medical team arrives to you:

What to do in case of hemorrhage?

External Arterial Hemorrhage

How to recognize it?

The blood flows in a pulsating manner (in spurts) and is bright red.

What to do?

  • Place the injured person horizontally.
  • Apply direct pressure on the wound.
  • Elevate the injured limb.
  • The pressure should be applied for 10 minutes, then release for 5 seconds and evaluate. If the bleeding persists, repeat the procedure.
  • REMEMBER: Seek medical help immediately.

How to recognize it?

The blood flows slowly (in small drops).

What to do?

  • Consider that blood loss is minimal.
  • Put dressings on the wound while pressing lightly.

How to recognize it?

Blood flows continuously and is dark red.

What to do?

  • Place the injured person in a horizontal position.
  • Put clean dressings or cloths on the lesion.
  • Press the wound for 5 or 6 minutes.
  • REMEMBER: Seek medical help immediately.

What is it?

It's a venous hemorrhage.

What to do?

  • Sit the affected person on a chair.
  • Compress the corresponding nostril for 5 minutes.
  • If the bleeding does not subside, resort to nasal tamponade with cotton or gauze until you manage to control it.
  • If the bleeding persists, SEEK medical help immediately.

What to do in case of seizures?

Any kind of seizures

Most seizures end in a few minutes.

What to do?

  • Stay with the person until the seizure has passed and has regained consciousness. After it happens, help the person sit in a safe place. Once they can communicate, explain what happened in simple terms.
  • Comfort the person and speak calmly.
  • See if the person is wearing a medical bracelet or other emergency information.
  • Stay calm and keep others calm.
  • Offer to call a taxi or someone else to make sure the person gets home safely.

In this type of seizure, it is possible for the person to shout, fall, shake or have spasms and not realize what is happening around them.

What to do?

  • Carefully lay the person on the floor.
  • Gently, turn the person gently on a side. This will help with the breathing.
  • Remove hard or sharp objects from the area around the person to prevent injuries.
  • Put the person's head on something soft and flat, like a folded jacket.
  • Take off the person's glasses, if wearing any.
  • Loosen the tie or anything around the person's neck that may make breathing difficult.
  • Measure the duration of the seizure. Call emergencies if the seizure goes on longer than 5 minutes.

Knowing what NOT to do during or after seizures helps keep the affected person safe.

  • Do not try to hold the person or prevent him from moving.
  • Do not put anything in the person's mouth because result in teeth or jaw injuries. A convulsing person cannot swallow his tongue.
  • Do not try to give mouth-to-mouth breathing (such as CPR). Usually, people start breathing again on their own after a seizure.
  • Do not offer water or food to the person until he is fully alert.

What to do in case of fainting?

What to do when seeing someone pass out?
  • You must observe the breathing and that airways are unblocked. Notify any anomaly to the emergency services.
  • Move to a well-ventilated and cool place. Loosen the person's clothing to facilitate breathing.
  • The victim must remain lying for 10 or 15 minutes and if she cannot lie down, we will sit her with her head between her knees.
  • Ask the person to breathe in and cough to accelerate cerebral blood flow.
  • Lift the person's legs 30 cm above ground.
  • If the person vomited, turn her to the side to prevent drowning.
  • Avoid giving food or water.