They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.
What to expect at the emergency room:
Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:
For swallowed poison
Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach
Activated charcoal administration
Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
Give IV fluids
Admission to the hospital
Give an antidote
Treat the symptoms
For inhaled poisons
A breathing tube may need to be inserted
Oxygen
Admission to the hospital or to the intensive care unit
Bronchoscopy (inserting a camera down the throat into the airway to evaluate the extent of burns to the airway and lungs)
For skin exposure
Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
Skin debridement (surgical removal of burned skin)
Admission or transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care
.gif)
