TV dramas about medical centers lead viewers to believe that, when patients arrive at an emergency room, they are immediately surrounded by doctors who attend to nearly all their needs. In reality, nurses in the ER and other areas of a hospital usually provide much of the care for patients. At an Emergency Clinic in Vidor TX, a patient may receive care from registered nurses as well as nurse practitioners who have completed masters-level degrees so they can take on higher-level responsibilities.
Physician Shortages in Emergency Settings
Nurse practitioners are allowed to make diagnoses, prescribe medicine, and perform certain kinds of treatments that doctors would normally do. They are invaluable in areas where doctor shortages cause problems for area residents. An article published in AMN Healthcare reports on the serious shortage of ER physicians in the 21st Century. Only about four percent of doctors specialize in emergency medicine, but about 12 percent of visits to seek help from doctors take place in emergency rooms.
Triage
At an Emergency Clinic in Vidor TX, when doctors are busy with patients who are in the most serious condition, others must wait for their turns. Staff members make these decisions by assigning levels of urgency, a process known as triage.
A Busy Day
During a busy day with an emergency clinic at a medical center such as Riceland Healthcare, the staff is likely to help patients with a broad range of problems. Some may have been injured in vehicle accidents while someone else has suffered a heart attack or stroke.
For some patients, there may be fractured bones or an immediate need for surgery to manage a dangerous health event. Some patients receive a devastating diagnosis of a terminal illness that has first made itself known through a troubling symptom. The emergency room staff is ready to assist no matter what the patient’s need.
Patients are checked on by the nursing staff and kept as comfortable as possible. Many patients can be treated and released the same day. ER nurses talk with patients and their families about proper aftercare for the injury or illness once the person leaves the clinic, and many need for a follow-up appointment with a doctor.