Hospitals

An emergency is when you could die or be permanently disabled if you do not get help right away. Examples of emergencies are: you cannot breathe, you are bleeding a lot and will not stop, you hit your head and are falling asleep or are confused or you hurt your neck and cannot move it.

An ambulance will take you to the emergency room for care if you have a health emergency.

When you go to the emergency room, without calling 9-1-1.

You will need to check-in at the front desk and wait to be called. You will need to give your name, ID, insurance information and fill out paperwork.

A nurse will take your temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and ask about what health problems you are experiencing. They will figure out what the health problem is with the information you give them.

Those with serious medical problems are treated in the emergency room. Those with easier problems, like the flu, are treated in the Fast Track.

If the staff think that you might have a heart attack, you will be sent to the Observation Unit to make sure you do not suffer a heart attack. If there is no risk, you may be discharged the day before.

If the doctor thinks that you are very ill and need to stay in the hospital for more tests, the staff will "admit" you to the hospital and you will become an "in-patient". An "in-patient" is someone who stays in the hospital overnight.

If your problem is not dangerous, you will be able to go home.

Serious injuries, like car accidents, are called "trauma cases" and they get the most attention from the staff.

The Intensive Care Unit, or ICU, is where someone with a serious injury, like from a car accident or a heart attack will go. There they will be watched closely to make sure they do not get worse.

Patients who get better can be moved out of the ICU to a regular patient room. They will still be watched closely.

A scheduled surgery is when you and your doctor plan your surgery for a later date. The doctor who does the surgery is the surgeon.

Before the surgery, the surgeon may have you do lab tests. Anesthesia is given to patients before surgery. You do not feel any pain after you have anesthesia.

The Operating Room, called the OR, is where surgeries take place. Everybody who will help with the surgery will be in the OR.

After the surgery, patients are moved to the Post-anesthesia Care Unit to wake up from the anesthesia and make sure there were no problems with the surgery.

Patients normally have to stay in the hospital until they are well enough to leave. This may last 1 or 2 days or a week depending on the type of surgery.

When the doctor thinks you are healthy enough to leave the hospital, they will allow you to go home. You will be given information about how to take care of yourself and to go to your primary care physician. It is important that you follow this information.

Some surgeries are smaller and you can go home the same day that the surgery happens. These surgeries happen in procedure rooms instead of operating rooms. They include surgeries like, cataracts, hernia repairs and biopsies.

If you have to stay in the hospital overnight, you have to go through "admission".

Discharge is when you are allowed to leave the hospital.

If your problem cannot be treated at the hospital you went to, you will be moved to a specialty hospital. An example is if a child is very sick, they will be moved to a children's hospital.

Hospital rooms are either on the medical floor or the surgical floor. If you had surgery, you will be on the surgical floor.

A charge nurse in in-patient rooms is the nurse in charge of a patient.  Usually one nurse cares for four patients, but in the ICU one nurse cares for only one patient.

Everyday, doctors go to all the rooms and check on the patients. Sometimes students will also go to the rooms with doctors.

When the doctor thinks that you are healthy enough to leave the hospital, the doctor will write discharge orders so you can leave.

As you get ready to leave the hospital, a nurse will talk to you about instructions for when you get home. This will include making sure you go to see your primary care physician and telling you how to take your medication.

After you leave the hospital, you must make an appointment with your primary care physician. This will make sure your doctor knows how you are doing.

You can receive primary care at some hospitals. Check with the specific hospital to see if they offer this.

Some hospitals also offer lab tests, like blood and urine tests. Anyone with a lab order from a doctor can use the service if they have the required insurance.

Some services can be offered the same day that you are seen if it is easy enough.

Physical therapy is a type of exercise that helps people get better after a physical problem, like a broken leg. Occupational therapy is a type of exercise that is used to help people who cannot do normal activities and movements that they could do before. Senior citizens are a group who can use occupational therapy if they cannot take care of themselves.

Some surgeries, where you can go home after the surgery, are done in the Ambulatory Surgical Unit.

The ASU is also the waiting area for the regular operating room. For those having a scheduled surgery, you will be put in the ASU to go through paperwork and preparation.

Some surgeries are smaller and you can go home the same day that the surgery happens. They include surgeries like, cataracts, hernia repairs and biopsies.

After the procedure, you will stay in the recovery room until the doctor allows you to leave. Then you will be discharged and can go home.

Hospitals have pharmacies inside of them to make it easier to get medication right away. Some hospital pharmacies may only be for patients staying in the hospital.

If a doctor gives you a prescription, you will most likely have to take it to an outside pharmacy, like Rite Aid or Walgreens.

After leaving the hospital, it is very important that you make an appointment to see your primary care physician to make sure everything is okay. Tell your PCP what medications you were given so they can know about your treatment.