The Emergency Room

To help those patients better understand how we work and how not to abuse the system.

For ALL Patients...
Please know why you came to the ER and what symptoms you are having. How long has it lasted? Where is it located? Et cetera.
Please know your medical history and your medications.

For patients who go to the ER by ambulance...
First and foremost, please do not think that by going to the Emergency room by ambulance will get you to the back quicker than those waiting in the waiting room. If you are not of higher priority, you will be sent to the waiting room so that the higher acuity patients are allowed to the back first. It's just how we operate, we are not a hotel, we are a hospital. Our job is to help the sickest people get better. When you arrive to the hospital you are greeted by a nurse who is trained to determine if you need to be placed in a bed immediately or you are able to wait a little longer in the waiting room. Here's where it splits into two parts. For those who are placed in a bed upon arrival, this must mean you are very ill. You will be greeted by your nurse almost immediately upon arrival to your bed. She will start asking you some questions about why you needed to come to the ED and about your medical history. Then the doctor will follow and determine your diagnosis and what tests need to be ordered to confirm their hypothesis.


For patients arriving by walking-in.
First you will be greeted by the triage nurse who will direct you to fill out a form with your basic information such as name and date of birth and the reason for your visit. From your less than 60 second conversation he/she will determine your acuity. From there you will be asked to sit and wait for your name to be called. When your name is called you will be greeted by another nurse who will take your vital signs and ask you about your medical history. From there, you will be asked to wait in the waiting until there is a room for you. Now for some patients, it will not require all of these steps because they are very ill and we have to bypass some of those things. For example, people who are in shock, having a stroke, GSW/Stabbings, having a heart attack (myocardial infarction), etc. will be immediately brought to the back and given treatment.