Guest Blog Entry: Five Suggestions for an Emergency Department Visit

This week's guest blog entry is from Kim, a registered nurse who runs the popular website Emergiblog: The Life & Times of an ER Nurse." I hope you all enjoy this excellent entry, written exclusively for MedFriendly. And please take some time to visit Emergiblog. With that, here is the guest blog entry:

No one wants to come to an ER. You feel sick and you are probably scared. Here is a list of things to do before and during your visit that can help make your visit as comfortable and as easy as possible.

1. Before you come to the department (before you are even sick!), make a list of all your medicines, the dosages and when you take them. Do the same thing with any medical conditions and surgeries. You will probably be in no condition to be able to give all that information, but it will be asked and it is important. Contrary to popular belief, the ER does not have access to your records at the doctor's
office. In an emergency, the information has to come from you. ( Here's a side note: if you are taking a medication, you have a medical problem. Your blood pressure medicine may be working great and your blood pressure is fine, but you are still considered to have high blood pressure.) Make a list of all the information, keep a copy of it in your wallet or purse. Even better, make sure your spouse has a copy in their wallet or purse!

2. Don't bring the entire family. In some cultures it is normal for multiple generations to come to the ER with their family member. The ER will try to accommodate you, but space is very limited and all those family members will wind up waiting in the waiting room. Bring one person with you. I've seen entire families come to the ER at three A.M. that include four children under the age of five, all
roused out of their beds to sit in the ER while their sibling is treated.

3. If English is not your first language, make sure you bring someone who can speak English. It will help to make things go a lot easier a lot faster. If there is no one, the hospital will provide a translator for you, either in person or by phone. For the record, it is best not to have a child interpret for you. Illness can be very complex and a child is not old enough to understand what they are interpreting.

4. Bring a book, magazine or something to do while you are waiting. I'm serious! It's the Law of the Emergency Room: if you bring something to occupy your time, you probably won't have to wait very long! Not all visits to the ER are serious illnesses, but there is waiting for labs and CT scan results. Time goes faster if you have something to do while you wait. This also goes for the person who comes with you. There is an old saying that in the ER we "wait quickly". Lots of action followed by lots of waiting!

5. Be comfortable. This may sound odd, but bringing your own pillow or a small blanket from home can go a long way to helping you feel more comfortable. Some ER stretchers feel like torture racks and the departments are notorious for being cold. Of course, the first thing we do is ask you to undress! Your own warm blanket is better than anything the ER can provide, trust me!

No one wants to come to an emergency department, but being prepared ahead of time and following these few suggestions can help make it an easier experience!