Nobody wants to land in the emergency room, but very often people do stupid things and end up in urgent situations, says Dr. Rada Jones, M.D., an emergency doctor in upstate New York. The expert published some of her “stay out of my ER” suggestions in “The Medical Republic” and says,

“I care for patients. All patients. Those who need to be in the ER; those who don’t; and those who wouldn’t be there if they knew better,” she says. “I’ve got some tips to keep you happy, safe and away from my ER.”

1. Never, ever say “hold my beer and watch this!” According to Jones those words are “a harbinger of disaster and if you have any doubts, check out the section on YouTube that highlights the various outcomes.”
2. Never drink and drive. “Although this seems obvious, it’s obviously not obvious enough,” says the doctor. “As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired driving cashes in 2016, accounting for 28 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S.” Same rule goes for drugs.
3. Don’t’ separate fighting dogs with your bare hands. Dogs can handle dog bites better than you can. “They come from wolves, we come from monkeys. We are out of their league,” says Jones. Stay out of it or use a prop. Spraying them with a garden hose also can do the trick.
4. If you have an appointment with your doctor, do not cancel it to come to the ER. “You may feel you are too sick to see your doctor, but caring for sick people is what your doctor does. Keep the appointment.”
5. Don’t eat spicy food if you have diarrhea. “You’ll get sensations like never before. You’re going to feel like a reverse fire-spitting dragon.”
6. Vaccinate your children. The connection with autism is fake, says Jones. “The hack who made it up lost his license. If you trust Jenny McCarthy more than you trust your pediatrician, you should take your kids to her when they are sick.”
7. Use protection. Use the guard of your saw. Use safety glasses when you are welding. “That’s not wimpy — that’s smart,” she says. “Unlike lobsters, you don’t regrow limbs. Unlike spiders you only have two eyes. Use them wisely.”
8. Take your meds as prescribed. That goes for your blood pressure meds, seizure meds and all other prescription medications. Never, ever take other people’s medications.
9. Never keep bleach in soda bottles. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.