Emergency care units house the best, most adept, and reliable doctors in the entire hospital to ensure quick treatment to save a life. ERs deal with all sorts of emergencies from major illnesses to traumatic injuries and others. If you are required to go into the ER, you should rest assured that you will receive the best treatment possible.
Given below are the 5 steps of emergency care you can expect to receive in any 24 hour emergency center.
5 Steps Of Emergency Care
Prioritization Of Injuries or Illness
The first step in emergency care is the prioritization of injury or illness. A registered nurse would be assigned to take stock of your injuries or illness to determine their level of seriousness.
There are 5 levels of emergency and the difference in the level of emergency is why some people might come after you into the ER but will get treatment before you.
However, if you have been asked to wait and your symptoms seem to worsen, then you should immediately let the triage nurse or any emergency personnel know about these developments.
Registration Of Patient
Registration of patients is important because it depicts that the hospital has the patient’s consent to move into treatment and they require one’s personal information to keep in your patient record. If you have taken someone with you to the ER, they can help the administration department look into the registration while you wait for treatment. However, if your emergency level is too high and you have arrived alone at the ER, the admin can conduct this registration process from your bedside.
Treatment Of Patient
Any patient who arrives at the emergency care centers will be given treatment by a mid-level practitioner or an attending physician. You might require an IV line to administer any medicines or fluids that have been prescribed to you. You may be sent for X-Rays or other scans and you might need to give your blood or urine sample for further tests. These results come back within an hour or two to help the physician determine your condition and choose a treatment process accordingly.
At this time, you might not be allowed any visitors if your emergency level is too high. However certain ERs like ER in Frisco allow up to 2 people to visit the patient in the ER.
Re-Evaluation Of Patient
Re-evaluation occurs after the test results arrive with the attending physician. This helps the doctor determine if there are any other side effects to your injury or illness. This will help them understand your course of treatment and whether you should be detained at the hospital or be sent home with a couple of medicines.
Discharge Of Patient
If you have been allowed to leave the ER by the attending physician, you are very much likely to be handed a list of medicines and home care instructions to help you to recover fully. You should take a look at these instructions to ensure that you have understood everything. You should feel free to ask any questions so that you do not face any unwanted confusion after you go back home.
A 24 hour emergency center is adept at handling emergency care. However, there are certain things that you can prepare beforehand to help them to treat your illness or injury better. For example, Frisco ER & Urgent Care units insist on their patients knowing and following the following guidelines to save a life.
5 Guidelines To Follow While Going For Emergency Care
Take Proper Identification and Debit or Credit Cards
You should try to keep proper identification handy when you go into emergency care centers. This can immensely speed up the entire process of gathering your personal information for admission while you are being treated by doctors.
Also, you should keep debit or credit cards with you for any bill payment. You should also take your health insurance card if any.
Mobile Phone Charger
You should take your mobile phone charger or a power bank in case your phone runs out of charge. Keeping your modes of communication open is crucial in times of emergency. Your loved ones might be trying to reach you or you might need to reach out to someone for help.
Knowledge of Medical History
Knowledge of medical history is essential when you go into emergency care centers. Doctors encourage patients to have enough information about their medical history – allergies, aversion to any medicine, previous medical visits, any current medication, and other details. You can also take your previous prescriptions if any. All these details can help doctors work out a proper treatment plan for your illness or injury.
Details of Illness or Injury
Your doctors need every detail regarding your illness and injury. Where the pain is, how long ago did it start, has it been increasing at a very fast pace – your doctors need these crucial details to work out exactly what you are going through to settle on a particular treatment process. You can also ask questions about the treatment to ensure you understand exactly how your healing procedure will work.
Abdominal pain can be crampy, achy, dull, intermittent or sharp. It’s also called a stomachache. Abdominal pain can have causes that aren’t due to underlying disease. Examples include constipation, gas, overeating, stress, or muscle strain. Most causes of abdominal pain aren’t reasons to worry, and your doctor can easily diagnose and treat the problem. Sometimes, though, it can be a sign of a serious illness that needs medical attention.
Take A Friend
If you are going into emergency care, we suggest taking a friend along with you. Going to a hospital is frightening enough, let alone the emergency care – having a loved one with you can ease some of the discomforts. Also, being in a lot of pain, you might not be able to communicate with the doctors clearly which your friend can help you with.
Conclusion
The key to handling a visit to a 24 hour emergency center is to keep calm and help your doctors with all the information you require. While it might seem extremely difficult to get your bearings during emergencies, keeping a cool head will help you save a life. We hope the above article helped you understand how the ER works and you can form an action plan beforehand to avoid any confusion or panic while visiting an emergency center.
