The Emergency Department

En Espanol

If you are in the Emergency Department, it is because you or someone that you love is sick or injured. Please understand, the doctor will see all patients that request to be seen, regardless of the ability to pay. Although everyone that comes to the Emergency Department is sick or in pain, some patients have more life threatening issues. These patients must be attended to first. That is why patients may be taken out of turn.

Registration

Your first step in the process is checking in (registration). The registration clerk will want to know your name and address, why you came to the Emergency Department, and who your regular doctor is. The registration clerk will also ask you or your family member to sign a consent form. This gives us permission to treat you in the Emergency Department.

Triage

The first nurse that you will speak with is called the triage nurse. He/she is the nurse that records why you are here, the medications you take and important information about your past medical history. This nurse will also want to take your temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. While you are waiting if you feel that you are getting sicker or your condition has changed, please let the registration/triage staff know.

The Emergency Department

The Emergency Department has eight patient care areas. You will be seen by a physician and may experience some or all of the following:

• Ongoing care by a nurse assigned to your care area and assigned to care for you.
• You may have blood drawn for laboratory tests. This requires very little time to administer, but it may take awhile to get the results back.
• You may be given X-rays.
• A doctor may administer an EKG to measure the electrical signals of your heart.

Depending on test results, the Emergency Department may treat your ailment with medication, IV fluids, a cast, or even surgery. These various treatments all require different amounts of time to administer, and we encourage you to ask your nurse or physician any questions you may have regarding your treatment.