medical ID tags, bracelets

minimalist

Anyone wear a medical ID? Or medical professionals encounter them on patients? Any tips on decent-looking tags, bracelets?

IDtagsonline dot com (yes I went there) had ok service and good-enough materials, but I don't love the quality of their engraving.

11 years ago

Shopping

11 replies

Latest reply was from Faith

jackiec

Veteran

I don't, but it must be tough. I love to wear lots of layers of bracelets, so can totally see adding the medic-alert to that stack - or would that defeat the purpose? Do they have to be worn in isolation? I suppose that would make them easy to ID in emergency. Sorry no advice, but hopefully someone her can help.

11 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I've definitely seen the stack of bracelets with one being a medi-alert one; but in this case, the medi-alert was the only big thing out of the bunch that was a "hang tag", so it easily stood out.

I've seen them as necklace pendants, as well...

... no earrings, though

11 years ago

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

No help but bumping for you.

11 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Thanks Ornella!

BF took issue with me including DNR on the inscription.

Lyn*, any anklets?

11 years ago

Cait

Active Member

Amy K.: you can of course, engrave whatever you like on a bracelet- but please know that Emergency Personnel can't honor a DNR engraving (or even a tattoo!) without the dated, legal, documentation.

Your best bet for allergy information is a necklace, or a bracelet significantly larger than other bracelets you are wearing. It's also handy to have an allergy card in your wallet/purse, but in an emergency, people probably won't check.

11 years ago

Freckles

Veteran

I love the look of more fashionable medical jewellery but in the end I've always stayed with the Medic Alert. The bracelets are the best but they ruin my clothes (snag sweater cuffs, etc) so I go with the pendant worn under my clothes. They always strip you in the emerg anyway so it's quite visible...
I remember when I first started dating my husband and he had to take me to emerg. They stripped me right in the hall (before he had seen that much of me) and he was aghast. Now they can strip me in the waiting room and he doesn't blink an eye...lol.
Thanks for the reminder. I lost mine going through security in the Dublin airport last summer and haven't replaced it yet. Another pendant for sure.

11 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I would not go with an anklet. That is not somewhere that I think most docs would check, and it's not really somewhere that we look at as part of a primary survey (think head/neck/breathing stuff up top) ... arms are okay, because the nurses need those to run lines and stuff, so if you have a big bracelet, it will be noticeable.

Yeah... I have see chest tattoos. Just make sure if you have a tattoo you have the right condition marked on!

11 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Cait, thank you, I'd better get up to speed on U.S. legal requirements on this. How about a tattoo of the dated appropriate legalese?

Lyn*, have you seen inaccurate medical tattoos?!

Freckles, thanks, I'll add a pendant to the mix. Where do you get yours?

11 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I sure have seen inaccurate medical information!!

11 years ago

Freckles

Veteran

I went to the Medic Alert website to get a link for you and found out that they have changed how they do things. Besides the cost of the item there is a five dollar per month charge for the lifetime of ownership. This is not at all how things used to be and I'm no longer a fan. I don't want to update doctor and medical records every time my prescription changes I want the basic medical info needed in an emergency (diabetes mellitus pump user and allergic to penicillin). They have also changed the look to make the item more fashionable. I'm of the mind that you shouldn't have to look for it, I like the old silver with red medic alert symbols and name on it. It's really obvious yes but when I'm unconscious in an emerg this is what speaks for me.
Really mad I lost mine in the Dublin airport now more than ever.
I think I'll go looking for a pendant now, get a medical symbol engraved on the front and the info on the back. The best info I can provide is to get something serviceable. You don't want the chain to break and you want to be able to wear it 24/7 otherwise it's useless.

11 years ago

Faith

Active Member

Hi, Amy, I wear a bracelet regularly, my favorites are from Lauren's Hope (sorry no link, I'm on my phone), and I've found some at N-style ID as well. I heard that they should be worn on the left wrist as that is where a paramedic will check your pulse, but I have no idea if that's true! I hope you find something fab.

11 years ago

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