If you end up in the emergency room for any reason, you’ll certainly want to know what to expect. Some people have the misconception that they will show up, be seen immediately, and be treated without any wait. This is simply not the case in most of the emergency rooms in the country, and here’s why.
When you first enter the emergency room, you’ll probably undergo a triage process. This is the process by which patients are seen and evaluated. The nurses and doctors need to look at each patient, decide how quickly the patient needs care, and then decide where the patient should go next. Obviously, people with the most urgent needs will be seen first. While you may get annoyed that others are going in front of you, the emergency room isn’t a place that waits on people on a first come, first serve basis.
You will probably have to wait for awhile to be seen, and then wait for awhile to be evaluated. Don’t think that you’ve been ignored or that the medical staff doesn’t care about you. They are working their way through the patients as quickly – and professionally – as they can. They do want to treat you – they just have to do so in order of need. They also might be waiting for lab results or x-rays to return; they may be waiting for a bed to open up for you; or they might been dealing with other patients.
Keep these ideas in mind as you enter the emergency room, and know that you will be treated by a professional staff that wants you to get back home as soon as possible.
