What to Expect When You Visit an ER
Given all the risk factors as far as our health is concerned we are exposed to daily, we are likely to get injured at one time or the other, with the same being said of getting sick, due to both external and internal factors. From taking part in sporting activities, handling machinery at work or in the yard, driving or cycling, or even walking, injuries can occur at any moment, with the same being said about getting sick, either from the food we eat or coming into contact with disease causing organisms. The bottom line is, sooner or later we are going to have our health affected in one way or another. Most of the times, these situations are minor and can be dealt with at home or by heading into an urgent clinic at the most. There are those situations that are medical emergencies, all of which are discussed in detail over at frontlineer.com, whereby our lives are in danger if we don’t head over to an ER as soon as possible. Heading over to an ER can be quite daunting, especially for those who have never been there before as you don’t know how to go about things and what to expect. That is why this article should be of great help as it will look to highlight some of the things you should expect when during a visit to an ER.
It is important to note that, while every patient who heads over to an ER does so due to an important reason medically, those that have the most severe illnesses and injuries are seen first. This means that you will have to contend with a bit of waiting, especially if you have an illness or injury that is not that severe. Here, it doesn’t matter if you came in earlier than someone else, if they have a more serious medical condition, they will be treated before you, that is how ERs operate and is one thing you can expect from a visit there. You should also expect that as part of your evaluation once your turn arrives, you will have your pulse, blood pressure and temperature checked by a highly trained nurse. Apart from having your vitals checked, your medical history will also be checked something that is extremely important as covered in detail over at frontlineer.com. You will then be required to be registered and have your details checked and entered into the system, as well as those of a family member. Those that have a condition requiring them to lie down are then taken to a treatment room.
The next thing you should expect when you visit an ER once you have been taken to the treatment room is that an examination will have to be done first. This examination is done by a highly trained and skilled doctor, such as those found over at frontlineer.com. To facilitate for ease of this examination, you should expect that you will be requested to put on a hospital gown, as civilian clothes can be quite restrictive. Once the checks are complete, and remember they will be done in accordance to what it is that has brought you to the ER, you can expect to be connected to a monitoring device that allows the nurses to monitor your vital signs. This way, if your condition worsens, they will be alerted, and will be in a position to respond. Another thing you must note and should expect is that, while every patient and case is taken seriously, if a patient who is in need of immediate treatment arrives, you are likely to experience delays as far as your treatment is concerned. It is a well-known fact that waiting times at ERs are at an all-time high.
Once your examination is done, the next step is for tests to be done so as to be able to not only diagnose your illness or injury, but also check for the severity. Tests you should expect include imaging tests such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs among others, all of which are ordered by the doctor, as well as blood and urine tests. It is important to ask for additional information from the doctor or nurse if you don’t understand why a test is being ordered. Once the tests are done, the next step is to wait for the results, which, once they arrive, will be explained to you by the doctor. Once the test results are back, treatment should commence in earnest. As is explained by the folks over at frontlineer.com, depending on the severity of your condition, which will be revealed by the tests, treatment may be quite simple and straightforward or very complex. Some treatment may require stitching, dressing of wounds, administering of antibiotics; procedures which are quite simple and won’t take long, while others may require surgery which can take hours. Some conditions may require you to be kept overnight or longer to be monitored while in others you will be discharged as soon as treatment is done. Before you are discharged however, you can expect to be given take-home instructions, as to how you should proceed to ensure you recover 100%. It is important to follow all these instructions, and to ask questions if you have any on them. You should also expect to be asked to provide insurance information at this point so that the hospital can file insurance claims. You will only be allowed to leave once payment has been done, for those without insurance.
The above are some of the things you can expect when you visit an ER, with more information on this very extensive topic to be found over at the ever reliable frontlineer.com.