Welcome to the Emergency Department
We know this may be a stressful time and we are here to help.
- What happens next
- What you can expect while you are here
- How to get the care you need safely
What to expect from the service?
When you arrived at the Emergency Department, a trained nurse assessed your condition. This process is called Triage. It helped us to understand your symptoms and to identify how urgently you need to be seen. You will be seen based on the urgency for your care, not your arrival time. You were also registered by a Clerical staff member, so that we have your up-to-date details on hand.
Important: If you feel worse at any time while waiting, please tell a staff member immediately.
Now that triage and registration has occurred, your visit will usually follow these next steps.
- Waiting: you may need to wait until the next available clinician is ready. Patients with more urgent needs are seen first.
- Clinical assessment: a doctor or nurse practitioner will examine you and discuss your symptoms.
- Tests or scans: if required, you may have blood tests, x-rays or other investigations to help diagnose your condition. You may be asked to return back to the Waiting Room to await any results if required
- Treatment and next steps: after treatment, you will either be discharged – able to leave the hospital – with instructions or admitted as a patient to a hospital ward for further care.
While you wait
- Feeling worse? Tell any nurse or staff member immediately.
- Toilets are located to the right of the waiting area, down the corridor.
- Water/tea is available upon speaking to one of our staff.
- Vending machines/Henry’s Café is available down the same corridor to the right.
- Quiet/Prayer room and Mother’s room are both available. Please speak to Main Reception in the hospital foyer for access.
- One support person may stay with you – unless for compassionate reasons and at the discretion of the Nurse In Charge. During busy periods, we may ask some visitors to wait outside for safety reasons.
- Please remain in the waiting room. If we call your name and you are not present, we will call three times over a 20-minute period before attempting to contact you by phone.
If you want to leave
If you want to leave before being seen, let the triage nurse or front desk know, so we can make sure you are safe and understand the next steps.
What happens after your Emergency Department visit?
Our goal is to provide the right care for your needs. After your assessment and treatment in the Emergency Department, there are a few possible next steps.
1. Discharge home
This is when you can leave the hospital and go home. If you are discharged from the hospital after treatment, you will be provided with:
- A written summary that describes the care you were given. This is called a discharge summary. This will also be shared with your listed GP.
- Any necessary medicine or prescriptions.
- Follow-up instructions or referrals to other health care providers
2. Admission to hospital – inpatient care
If you need further care, you may be admitted as a patient to a ward in the hospital. This will involve:
- A clinician explaining why admission is necessary and what to expect.
- Arranging a bed in the most appropriate ward for your condition.
- Transferring you safely from ED to the ward, where a new team will continue your care.
Respect in the ED
We understand this can be a difficult time. Our team is here to help, please treat them with kindness. We do not tolerate any aggressive, abusive or threatening behaviour toward staff or other patients. Security and police may be called.
Location
Share your feedback
We welcome your thoughts and feedback – it helps us improve
Interpreter-assisted feedback is available.
Alternative care options
Virtual Emergency Department
Sometimes there are other services where you can get the care you need sooner.
If your condition is not life-threatening, you can talk with a nurse via free video consultation through the Virtual Emergency Department (VED).
If you choose to use the VED, please let the triage nurse or front desk know, so we can help facilitate this.
Urgent Care Centre
Urgent Care Clinics are free, walk-in clinics, providing immediate health care for non-life-threatening conditions. For a full list of your nearest Urgent Care Clinic, please click here: