Emergency Care for Blood and Marrow Transplant Patients (The James)

Emergency Care for Blood and Marrow Transplant Patients (The James)

 

General Guidelines for Emergency Care

Use these guidelines to know when and how to report any problems that you may have after you leave the hospital. Your doctor may give you more information about how to manage your specific health care needs.

Symptoms and When to Call Your Doctor

SymptomCommon ProblemAction
BleedingBlood in vomit or stoolCall your doctor right away.
Blood from noseApply first aid (pinch your nose, put head forward, apply ice pack to nose and back of neck. If your nose is still bleeding after 1 to 2 minutes, call your doctor
Blood in or around eyeCall your doctor right away.
Petechiae (pin point red dots under the surface of skin) or bruisesCall your doctor within 24 hours. 
Blood in urineCall your doctor right away.
Bleeding from vaginaCall your doctor within 24 hours. 
FeverTemperature

Call your doctor right away if you have a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher. If your temperature is less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, retake in 2 hours.

Do not take medicines that can reduce a fever before you call your doctor. These medicines include: Tylenol, Aspirin, Ibuprofen or Aleve, Vicodin or Lortab (Hydrocodone/ Acetaminophen), Percocet (Oxycodone/Acetaminophen).

Cold symptomsCoughCall your doctor within 24 hours. 
Shortness of breathCall your doctor right away.
Sore throat, runny noseCall your doctor within 24 hours. 
Change in level of consciousnessUnable to wake up or speakFamily/Caregiver should call 911 right away, then call your doctor.
Severe headacheCall your doctor right away.
ConfusionFamily/Caregiver should call your doctor right away
Dizziness or lightheadedCall your doctor right away.
Central Venous CatheterA tear or crack in the catheterCall your doctor right away.
Unable to flush catheterCall your doctor right away.
Tenderness, redness or drainage at siteCall your doctor right away.
Vomiting or NauseaBlood in vomit or vomit that looks like coffee groundsCall your doctor right away.
Unable to keep medicines or foods down, unable to swallow fluidsCall your doctor right away.
Mouth SoresPainful sores in the mouthCall your doctor within 24 hours or sooner if you need pain medicine. 
Diarrhea (liquid stool, watery, without form)Stool that has blood in it or looks like black tar or is maroon in colorCall your doctor right away.
Increase in the amount and number of times you have diarrheaCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Skin rashes or lesionsAny new symptomCall your doctor within 24 hours.
EyesVision changesCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Redness or drainageCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Dry, itchyCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Joint or bone pain, or joint swellingAny new symptoms or if pain medicine is neededCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Overall painPersistent or increasing pain that is not relieved by pain medicineCall your doctor within 24 hours.
Abdominal pain or crampingSevere pain or pain that continues for over 24 hoursCall your doctor right away.
Chest painPressure or crushing pain in the middle of your chest that may go across your chest to your shoulders, arms (one or both), neck or backCall 911 right away
IndigestionStomach pain or gasCall your doctor within 24 hours.

If you have other symptoms not listed, you may call:

  • The Hematology and Transplant Clinic at (614) 293-3316.
  • After hours, on weekends, or holidays your call to the clinic will be sent to a 24 hour nurse triage line. This triage nurse will work with your doctor to help you deal with these symptoms.

If your symptoms are not life threatening, call the Hematology and Transplant Outpatient Clinic.

  • It is important to call early in the day. There may be ways to help stop or reduce the problem.
  • The doctor or nurse practitioner may ask you to keep track of your symptom(s) or may give you directions on what you can do to prevent the problem from getting worse.
  • You may be able to be seen in the Hematology and Transplant Outpatient Clinic instead of the Emergency Department for your problem.

If you have a life threatening medical emergency, you or your caregiver should call 911.

  • When you call 911, the emergency squad will take you to the nearest hospital and contact your doctor. You may be transferred to Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital, if needed.
  • It is important to know the emergency phone number to use in your local area.

Important Medical Phone Numbers

Put a copy of your important medical phone numbers on your refrigerator and in your purse or wallet.

Emergency Squad (Ambulance)

911 or local emergency number:

_______________

Call this number in a medical emergency.

Hematology and Transplant Outpatient Clinic

 

   

If you are unable to
reach the
Hematology
and Transplant
Outpatient Clinic                        

(614) 293-3316

 


(614) 293-9464 or
(614) 293-3316 and
follow prompts.

 


(614) 293-8000
(Hospital Operator)

If you have a nonemergency, call the outpatient clinic during
business hours (7:30am - 5:00pm weekdays) for help and information.

 

If you have a nonemergency after hours, on the weekend, or a holiday,
call the Hematology and Transplant Outpatient Clinic phone number. You will
then be sent to the 24 hour nurse triage line. You will talk with a nurse
who will ask about your problem, then will call the doctor.


The operator will page the doctor on call for the Blood and Marrow
Transplant.                                                                    

 

 

© February 16, 2022. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

This handout is for informational purposes only. Talk with your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care.