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Frequently Asked Questions
What
happens when I arrive at the Emergency Department?
You will be assessed by a triage nurse upon
your arrival.
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What is a
Triage nurse?
A triage nurse differentiates the urgent and less-urgent cases by
assessing the patients' symptoms. In order to evaluate the
seriousness of an illness or injury, the triage nurse will ask basic
personal and health questions, take vital signs (i.e., pulse, blood
pressure, temperature and respirations) and will then perform a brief
physical assessment.
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What
happens when the triage nurse is finished?
If the illness or injury requires immediate
attention, the patient will be taken to the treatment area right away. If
the illness or injury is less severe, you will be asked to have a seat
until you are called to registration.
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What is
the purpose of registration?
You will be asked to provide certain information that we are required
by federal regulations to collect from all patients seen in the emergency
department, including accurate address and phone number. We also
will collect your insurance information. You will be asked to sign a
consent form, allowing the emergency department staff to treat you.
The form also allows the release of any information requested by your
insurance company.
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How long
will treatment take?
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The length of time for treatment
depends on a number of factors:
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the seriousness of the illness or
injury;
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the number and types of tests or
procedures necessary;
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the number of patients who are
currently being treated in the emergency department;
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the need for specialist
consultation.
Each of these factors plays a key
role in your treatment time. Please feel free to ask your nurse what
is happening as you're being treated; yet please keep in mind that
the nurse cannot tell you when you will be discharged. To ensure
that we provide the most accurate diagnosis and treatment available,
it is necessary to wait until tests are completed.
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Can a
family member or friend go back to the treatment area with me?
Due to the intense work environment,
limited space and the need to maintain privacy for each patient, our
policy is to allow only one visitor with each patient. Exceptions may be
made for children and for those patients who need a translator. Visitation
is at the staff's discretion.
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What is EMTALA?
EMTALA stands for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.
It is a complex federal law that applies to all hospitals that have
emergency departments. If you come to our emergency department for
emergency treatment, it requires that we screen your condition to
determine whether you have an emergency medical condition or are in active
labor. If either of these conditions exist, and if we have the
capability of doing so, we will stabilize your condition before we obtain
any information from you about your ability to pay. We have a sign
posted in our emergency department that more specifically explains your
rights under this important law.
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Did you
know?
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We have approximately 26,000 visits to our
Emergency Department each year.
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Visits may range from 40 to 100 visits per
day.
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We have 16 exam/treatment rooms.
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We are generally the busiest from 4 p.m. to
1 a.m. weekdays and from noon to 1 a.m. on the weekend.
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