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.