Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH) Emergency Department’s (ED) frequently asked questions.
Why do patients have to wait for treatment in the ED?
How long can I expect to be in the ED?
What is triage?
Do extensive waiting times affect treatment outcomes?
How long does it take to get laboratory and x-ray results?
Who will be caring for me?
Can my family visit me in the treatment area?
What happens when I am discharged?
Why do patients have to wait for treatment in the ED?
People wait in the ED for many reasons. Some of these include:
- Waiting while the sickest patients are seen first.
- Overcrowding due to epidemics such as the flu or ambulance diversion of patients from other crowded hospitals. Also, unlike a doctor’s office where appointments are scheduled, many emergency patients may arrive at the same time.
- Waiting for x-ray and laboratory results. (Some test results take longer than others.)
- Waiting for consultations from specialist physicians.
- Shortages of inpatient beds in the hospital, resulting in patients remaining longer than expected in the Emergency Trauma Center.
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How long can I expect to be in the ED?
The very best care takes time. A triage nurse will grade a patient’s condition by severity. Patients with life-threatening conditions such as a stroke or heart attack are seen first. Once in the treatment area, average stays are approximately three hours for released patients and five hours for patients who are admitted to the hospital. The total stay may depend on symptoms, illness, and whether the patient has to be admitted to the hospital. Also, if the emergency physician consults with a specialist or special tests and x-rays taken, the stay may be longer.
The time of day and the day of the week may also determine how busy the ED is. Typically, the ED is busiest from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Weekends and Mondays are usually the busiest days of the week.
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What is triage?
You may hear the word triage (pronounced “tree-ahj”) when you enter the ED. The triage process determines who needs to be seen first. A triage nurse will determine the severity of a patient’s condition based on symptoms. In addition, when a patient first comes to the ED, personal and medical history information will be obtained, and vital signs will be checked, including temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
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Do extensive waiting times affect treatment outcomes?
Our emergency staff works very hard to make sure no one waits so long it will affect the severity of illness or injury. Some patients may wait longer than we would like, but we do our best to make sure the sickest patients are seen first and that all patients are treated as quickly as possible.
An empty waiting room doesn’t mean that the emergency center is not busy seeing patients. For example, patients who arrive by ambulance enter the emergency department through a different entrance. Also, many important behind-the-scenes activities take place in the ED that patients don’t always see, such as processing lab and other test results. If a patient who needs emergency medical care becomes frustrated and leaves, this may affect both illness and outcome. Patients who choose to leave should notify the triage nurse.
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How long does it take to get laboratory and x-ray results?
To accurately diagnose a patient’s condition, we need time to review any lab tests and x-rays. Most laboratory and x-ray results take approximately two hours. However, some tests take longer to process than others.
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Who will be caring for me?
Patients in the ED are cared for by a team of highly skilled professionals.
A medical doctor (MD or DO) has overall responsibility for a patient’s care. Doctors talk to the laboratory, ambulances, and other doctors as necessary. Sometimes a physician assistant (PA) or nurse practitioner (NP) may also assess a patient’s condition. The PA/NP work closely with the doctor and other team members to provide appropriate, timely medical care.
A registered nurse (RN) will assess and monitor patients’ physical condition, give medications, maintain an IV, and keep patients and their families informed of any tests and procedures. The nurse will also provide important discharge information before patients go home. Each nurse is responsible for several patients and works very closely with the doctor to provide the best care possible.
A patient care assistant (PCA) or ED technician may work with the nurse and doctor. Technicians check vital signs, collect laboratory specimens, transport patients to special testing, and assist as needed to make patient stays as comfortable as possible.
A social worker may also see patients during their stay. Social workers sometimes play a vital role in caring for emergency patients. They may assist in referring patients to outside agencies for follow-up medical care.
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Can my family visit me in the treatment area?
Two family members are allowed to wait with patients in your treatment room at the bedside. If the ED becomes full, or if a caregiver feels that a patient needs privacy, family members may be asked to return to the waiting area. In consideration for our critically ill patients, no child under 14 may visit a patient without special permission from the charge nurse.
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What happens when I am discharged?
Patients are discharged, admitted to the hospital, or transferred to a different hospital. If discharged, they are given instructions on how to care for themselves and given a number to call if they have continued problems. They may be instructed to follow up with their primary care physician. Patients are responsible for their own transportation home.
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