The Unified Center for Identification and Development of Performance Athletes (CUIDAR) opened its Emergency Room at its Gávea headquarters last week. Located in Alameda, next to the Olympic Sports Strength Center, the unit will be responsible for providing first aid in urgent and/or emergency situations.

Understand the Emergency Room step-by-step process:

1- The nurse provides the initial assessment and performs a triage to identify the patient's imminent risk.

2- If no risks are identified, less severe cases are treated by the on-call nurse. If necessary, the patient is seen by a doctor and referred to a Basic Care Unit, a partner clinic, or specialized medical care (nurses are prohibited from prescribing medication, but they can administer painkillers when requested by the doctor).

3- If the risk is considered urgent or an emergency, the doctor on duty and the Ambulance Service are called immediately to continue the care.

4- With the arrival of the mobile ICU, the patient is transported to a hospital unit for appropriate care.

Minor cases are considered to be those that are not life-threatening, such as mild headaches, muscle pain, minor injuries and cuts that do not require dressing, and mild abdominal pain, as well as those in elderly and pregnant women without symptoms. An emergency is an unforeseen occurrence that could harm or worsen the patient's health, whether life-threatening or not. These are situations that require immediate resolution, such as suspected fractures, sprains, and dislocations; bleeding; wounds and cuts that require investigation; insect bites over a large area of ​​the body; severe abdominal pain; deep or multiple wounds; repeated vomiting and diarrhea; severe dizziness; hypertensive crisis; moderate asthma; severe headaches; and symptomatic elderly and pregnant women. 

An unpredictable situation that appears suddenly and puts the lives of those affected at risk if they do not receive immediate and appropriate treatment at the scene is considered an emergency. Cardiopulmonary arrest, acute myocardial infarction (angina pectoris), cardiac arrhythmias, acute pulmonary edema, stroke, pulmonary embolism, spontaneous pneumothorax, respiratory failure, asthma attacks, coma, psychiatric emergencies, allergic shock, head trauma, poisoning, allergic shock, multiple traumas, drowning, extensive burns, electric shock, severe bleeding or hemorrhage, and hypertension during pregnancy are the most common emergency situations.

The Emergency Room is open to athletes, club members and employees, and to anyone who may need the unit's services.