Emergency Room Questions How Soon Will I Be Treated
You or your loved one may have experienced an accident at home, or are having severe chest or abdominal pains. You then rush to the Emergency Room, and once there you are told to wait. Some medical conditions require and must receive immediate care. Patients experiencing life-threatening injuries or heart attacks are typically seen by the doctors as soon as they arrive at the Emergency Room. Several unpredictable factors can affect how promptly the patients will receive treatment. They include:
- The number of other people who are also seeking medical assistance
- The severity of the ailments and injuries
In this article, FrontLine ER will help you understand what exactly goes on at the ER so that you can know how long it will take for you to get treatment for your critical condition.
On Arrival at the Emergency Room
When you arrive at the FrontLine ER, the first thing you would need to do is to check in at the front desk to provide all the necessary personal information and the reason for the visit.
If you arrive by ambulance, the administrative staff will obtain information from you or a family member who has accompanied you.
If you happen to arrive unconscious, you will get immediate treatment. The staff will look for any form of identification; for instance, if you are wearing any medical jewelry or have wallet cards that indicate medical conditions such as diabetes, heart condition or allergies. Also if you have a cell phone, they will look to see if you have any emergency contact information. The information found will be vital before any treatment commences.
What Happens At The Triage?
Basically what the triage nurses do is to try and identify the patients who if not dealt with immediately or soonest, there is a risk that the condition would deteriorate or the patient may die.
The FrontLine ER triage nurses will accurately assess the severity of each person’s conditions to determine the order in which the doctor will see patients. They will conduct a brief exam to check vital signs like blood pressure or temperature. Ensure that you inform the nurse of all your symptoms. In some cases, the nurses can carry out minor first aid procedures such as applying ice packs or cleaning of wounds at triage. There is a possibility that a patient’s condition may improve afterward.
Below is a breakdown of the triage levels:
- Level 1. The emergency physician has to intervene and examine the patient immediately they arrive. Patients in this category include those who have a cardiac arrest, major trauma, severe respiratory distress or those in the state of shock.
- Level 2. Patients get assessed within fifteen minutes of their arrival. Patients on this level include those with a head injury, chest pains, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Level3. The nurse evaluates the patients within thirty minutes. These patients may be having conditions such as asthma or shortness of breath that could gradually progress to a much serious problem.
- Level 4. Ideally, patients with less urgent injuries like minor fractures, back pain, abrasions, and abdominal pain will undergo examination within one hour.
- Level 5. Patients with not so pressing symptoms such as sprains, minor lacerations that don’t require stitches, and sore throat, can safely wait for up to two hours or more before they examination.
The nurses will rate based on well-researched guidelines; however, in some cases, they have to rely on their intuition of how they think the patient appears. FrontLine ER follows the same general procedures for processing patients who show up at the ER. They have specially trained triage nurses who are capable of ranking each patient based on the Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale.
Emergency Room Wait Watcher and Treatment
If you are told to wait, it means that severely ill patients are receiving treatment ahead of you. Bring something to distract yourself like a magazine or a book. If you are accompanying a child, carry their favorite toy or book. Try as much as you can to wait. Do not leave without being seen by a physician, regardless of your demanding schedule.
The ER Wait Watcher is an app that anyone can use to look up the average ER wait times and the time it can take you to get there in the current traffic. However, if you are suffering from a cardiac arrest, do not wait to use this app. An ambulance can take you to the closest and most appropriate facility because it’s not affected by traffic.
When it reaches your turn, most likely you will be seen by an emergency physician. He/she will question and examine you. If need be, the doctor can order diagnostic tests such as blood tests, x-rays, Electrocardiogram (EKG) or CT scans. Once the results come in, he/she will provide your treatment and the course of care.
Did you know that your doctor can get you priority access? Call your doctor while on your way to the ER so that the staff is ready to receive you. FrontLine ER nurses and emergency physicians do their best to provide you with privacy and the best of quality care.
