Slideshow
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Food poisoning
When cooking meat, there’s always a risk of bacterial infection. The CDC recommends that all turkeys be completed thawed and cooked at a minimum of 325 degrees Farenheit. It is suggested that stuffing be cooked outside of the turkey to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
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Knife injuries
Even before carving the turkey, food preparation involves a lot of knife work and accounts for one of the top reasons patients visit the ED on Thanksgiving.
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Burns
Between simmering the cranberry sauce and baking pumpkin pie, there is plenty of increased risk for burns. Encourage patients to keep an ABC-rated fire extinguisher close-by.
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Overeating
Overeating on Thanksgiving is no exaggeration. Heartburn and indigestion may not seem like reasons to rush to the ED, but these side effects may be mistaken for more serious symptoms and can lead to unnecessary hospital visits.
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Alcohol consumption
Thanksgiving is reported to be the ‘deadliest holiday’ of the year because of its increase in alcohol-related traffic accidents.
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Overexertion
Playing a friendly game of football with friends and family on Thanksgiving seems like a good way to fit in some physical activity on the holiday, but patients with heart problems or serious health issues may feel the pressure to overextend themselves, making overexertion a top reported reason patients visit the ED.
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Domestic violence
Family fights can lead to serious altercations and even land patients in the ED on Thanksgiving. Moderating alcohol consumption and limiting stress are ways to keep tempers under control.
