they make you wait for hours and make you see at least 5 different people before you have been fully treated and you're ready to go? Or is it only with people like me who have really painful stomach conditions or non-deadly complaints? How do they organize themselves in the emergency room? It seems strange to me.
2007-05-04 18:39:41 · 8 answers · asked by Adel 6 in Health ➔ Other - Health
ER is a interesting place to state the least. You have to remember what ER is about namely 'emergencies' and they come in from car accidents, violence, heart attacks, the list is endless. I have only been in ER once and had to wait 'all day' so spent that time observing. A man walked in having been dropped off by his wife, managed to sign in and then collapsed? He had been having pain in his chest 3am and now noon arrived at ER! By the time the wife parked the car and came in she asked me if I had seen her husband! Child with mother and bottle of caustic soda, the list was endless. Therefore the serious patients take priority. I was eventually seen and given an appointment for ultrasound and x-ray 9am the following morning. ER is not the same as seeing a Doc, always keep that in mind.
2007-05-04 23:29:50 · answer #1 · answered by gillianprowe 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thank you SO much for posting this article. This is what I have been trying to tell people for a very long time now. It is NOT illegal immigrants that cause hospitals to go bankrupt like so many would like to believe. Often times, they even fear going into the ER! For example, one guy I know actually had to have surgery done to remove polyps so they wouldn't become cancerous. HE WOULD NOT GO! He said he didn't have the money to pay both the hospital AND doctor (yes, they are seperate bills - not to mention the anethesiologist) and didn't want the bill hanging over his head without the ability to pay it. A pmt. plan was eventually worked out but STILL this is proof that it is not as many would think with illegals causing financial havok! Another time, I went to the ER for crushing chest pains and the woman in the room next to me (can't say she was illegal or not, but she spoke absolutely no English and seemed completely at a loss) had came into the ER only when she could no longer stand and was severely vomiting! It turned out (I know, I shouldn't have been listening) she had a SEVERE kidney infection brought on by a UTI. Even the doctor said she should have came in sooner when she first noticed she was having problems going to the bathroom. So, I agree with the poster above, too. If we provided PREVENTATIVE care and taught these very people (many of which are from backgrounds where they aren't taught basic health and wellness) the basics - such as how to lower a fever - then we wouldn't see them in the ER to begin with.
2016-05-21 00:00:08 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ERs treat the most severe patients first. Everybody else has to wait their turn. Usually when you first get there, an RN will see you and determine how serious your complaint is. If it's life threatening, you get to move to the front of the line.
ERs are frequently used as 24 hour clinics, but that's not a good use of their resources. For simple complaints like a cold or low fever, a walk-in clinic would probably be your best choice. Chest pain, difficulty breathing, a child with an extremely high fever, extreme bleeding, and stroke symptoms are all considered true emergencies. "I've had this cold for 2 weeks" is not an emergency.
2007-05-05 01:15:55 · answer #3 · answered by GI tech 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because your definition of an "emergency" is not the same as ours.
If you have a "non-deadly" complaint, then you shouldn't be there in the first place. And if you are, you have absolutely no right to complain about the wait time or the procedures we follow.
2007-05-06 03:27:19 · answer #4 · answered by Morning Glory 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I guess they can tell your condition isn't that serious. The next thing they should do is send you back home before charging an outrageous amount. All they want is money. Whats worse is when they send you to Walgreen's to get an OTC drug instead of writing you out an prescription.
2007-05-04 18:58:05 · answer #5 · answered by Got Curves? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Patients are triaged according to severity of their condition from 1-4.
Cat 1: life is in danger/limb is in danger of being lost
eg. heart attacks, major injury, arm partially severed/severe respiratory distress.
right down to the lowest catagory: people who come in with a cold wanting to see a doctor.
Traditionally an RN will catagorise patients.
2007-05-04 18:47:08 · answer #6 · answered by Olivereindeer 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because if you die because of your wounds or complaints atleast they might be able to revive you at the hospital you are already at. Problem solved.
2007-05-04 19:11:07 · answer #7 · answered by always working 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called triage. the nurses use the acronymn D.I.E. for delayed. immediate. expected. You are delayed , be thankfull you are not expected. MR. MIKE
2007-05-12 18:12:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋