The Emergency Room can be a frightening place to many people. The name alone— emergency —signifies that you are here for an unusual circumstance.
The first thing you should know is that the Emergency Room (ER) is not a room at all. It’s an entire department, (sometimes called the ED—emergency department) which specializes in life threatening injuries and illnesses. It’s unlike any other area within the hospital. There are no appointments. There is no routine. Every day, every hour is different. Because of that, the ER may seem, at times, to be noisy and even chaotic.
What goes unseen perhaps is that the ER maintains a set of very high standards and systems of protocol (how we do things). All of these systems are especially designed to protect you and our staff.
We treat more than 24,000 patients a year in our ER. Upon arriving you will first see the Triage nurse. This is where a quick examination will be performed to see if you have any life threatening injuries. Less acute emergencies will be treated as physicians and nurses become available. For your safety, the registration process will be performed after your visit with the Triage nurse.
This process brings up one of the main differences between the ER and other areas of the hospital. As we’ve said the ER is for emergencies. Therefore, more serious injuries or sicknesses will be treated first. Someone may be treated before you even if you’ve arrived first.
We have 14 beds in the department. All of our physicians and nurses are trained in Emergency Medicine. Every patient is evaluated either by a physician or a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, depending on your symptoms. Several types of tests or procedures may be ordered. They may include:
These tests or procedures take time. Please be patient.
The X-Ray department is right next to the ER. If you need an X-Ray, for
example, you will be taken there and then returned to your room in the
ER.
We also have an area in the ER where patients are treated for minor emergencies such as cuts that require stitches, ear and toothaches, sprained ankles, wrists and minor broken bones and infections.
Most patients coming to the ER are treated and released. Some, however, need to be admitted to the hospital. When you are admitted to the hospital, your physician must be contacted. If you do not have a physician, one will be provided for you.
We understand that your arrival at the ER may include some members of your family. In order for the staff to efficiently treat emergencies we ask that you limit the number of people who stay with you. This allows our staff the opportunity to meet your needs and maintain your privacy. We will do everything possible to keep your family and friends informed.