Emergency Department

General Information:

The ED is an 11 bed secured unit, which includes one triage room. We care for a diverse patient population, including neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric. We are staffed with RN’s, LPN’s and Med/Surg. Techs and have an ED physician in the facility 24/7. We are prepared to provide the community with their healthcare needs at a moment’s notice.

News:

We have a purchased a Glidescope which will assist physicians with intubation. This new “scope” allows the physician to visualize the patient’s trachea while inserting an endotracheal tube. This will assure rapid and safe intubations.
Our new portable ultrasound will be used for the insertion of PICC lines and for starting difficult IV’s.
We also have a new fluid and blanket warmer.

FAQ’s:

1. What happens when I first arrive at the Emergency Department (ED)?

You will be greeted by our registration clerk who will write the reason for your visit to the ED, and the time of your arrival. The triage nurse will then take you to our triage room to gather more information about you and your condition. Once you have been assessed by the triage nurse you or a family member will be directed to the registration clerk who will obtain necessary demographic and insurance information. Depending on the assessment of the triage nurse you will be directed to the waiting room or to an ED treatment room.

2. What is triage?

Triage is method used to rapidly prioritize patient care. Triage is necessary to ensure patients are examined by a physician in order of highest priority. The triage nurse uses the Emergency Scale Index (ESI) system which assigns a number 1-5 indicating priority.

3. Will I have to wait long to be treated?

Patients in the ED are treated in order of priority. This means you may have to wait longer if your condition is not life-threatening. The ED staff makes every attempt to keep patient waiting times to a minimum. If there is anything we can do to make your wait more pleasant, please let one of the ED staff members know.
We do all we can to keep your wait time as minimal as possible.

4. How long does it take to get test results?

The timing of test results is determined by how many patients are being evaluated and what type of testing you may need. A general time schedule of routine test results you may need while in our ED:

• Blood test results...............................90 minutes
• X-ray results………………………..60 minutes
• Ultrasound results……………..........60-90 minutes
• CT scan results……………………. 60-90 minutes

Times are approximate and may vary depending upon Emergency Department activity.

5. How does my family find out about my condition?

With your permission, we can update family members on your status. We can provide you with a portable phone so you can speak with family members as necessary. The ED staff will make every attempt to update family and friends, however during times of high ED activity, our patient’s needs come first.

6. Are visitors allowed?

The decision to permit visitors into the ED patient treatment area is at the discretion of the ED nursing staff. There are times that visitors are not appropriate in treatment areas. Such as during high ED activity, when the physician is examining patients, when patients are being transported for diagnostic procedures, safety concerns, etc.
Because the Emergency Department is a busy area with limited space, we ask that visitors follow a few key guidelines:

• Only two healthy adult visitors may accompany you into the room. Additional visitors will be directed to the ED waiting room.
• Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the ED treatment area as visitors, unless under special circumstances which will be determined by the ED staff.
• The ED is a secured area. Visitors must check in at the registration desk to ask if they can visit a patient. Once inside the treatment area, visitors should remain at the bedside and respect other patients’ privacy by staying behind the treatment room curtain or door.