http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/25/emergency.room.care/index.html
The article linked above talks about the average wait at an emergency room in the United States as being four hours, and gives what I consider useless suggestions, but you might want to read it, and get some tips, such as they talk about trying to get a triage nurses attention by explaining that you've waited a long time, and your loved one is getting worse.
Dumb: but still read it as it might help.
Here's my story and what I did. After waiting for six hours, with my daughter who had a bladder infection, I got taken back. We were put in a freezing cold room, and were given blankets. We waited maybe 10 minutes, when the doctor came in, then, he left saying he would check on the sample. We waited another 45 minutes, when I went and hunted his butt down. There he was sipping a cup of coffee. So far, I'm annoyed but the guy maybe needed a break. So I asked about the sample and he said the one she gave was not good, and we'd need another. So I told him we were leaving in 10 minutes and he could get his butt down to the ice box room. We were in and out in 15 minutes.
My family and I would rather die than go to another emergency room. My doctor told me to call him first and he'd met us there or admit us.
Lesson:DON'T GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM UNLESS YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAT DAY!
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Comments: 8
The ER here is FAST. We went in with Gideon because the offices for our doctor was closed and it was an emergency situation with a double ear infection. We waited about 5-10 mins. They looked him over came back 10 mins later moved us to another room (they were busy that day) gave him a popsicle, some Mortrin waitind 15 mins for the fever to break and sent us home.
Considering the wait I had in NY with allergies (I was wheezing) that was a BREEZE!
The ER in my area sucks. It takes a long long time. I know when my son got himself caught in his zipper and required stitches. He was forced to wait over 2 hours for attention. He had to go to the bathroom and need help. I was told help was on the way. It never came. So he pissed in his pants. Than he was force to sit in it. He was so humiliated. I was very upset and complained to the doctor on the wait. He said my son should have been seen earlier. I looked at him and said that is fine and dandy, but what are you going to do about it now?
I void the emergency room unless it is something a regular doctor can't see.
Not at our ER!! When my son split his head open, we were in.. patched up.. paperwork completed... and headed back home in 45 minutes.
We prefer to go to our doctor or the urgent care first if at all possible. The Emergency Room in our town is a nightmare - I went there with really bad food poisoning and it took them SIX HOURS to finally get around to seeing me I LOST 12 POUNDS that night NOT KIDDING that's how bad it was - they totally SUCK!
Wow!
a typical night in the ER room may bring a few mothers with babies with diaper rash, teens worried because the rubber broke ( this happened more than once in the small town hospital where I worked ), Several people with colds. In short patients who could have waited and should be seeing their regular physician during regular business hours. Why because these people may not have a regular doctor and some who are on medical assistance don't care they don't pay for their medical bills anyway. Most ERs are doing the best they can. Under difficult circumstances. You think you may have has it bad try being on the other side if things.
we have no problem here in our places, I have been in and out of some less then 2 hours unless we were admitted.
I am sure you were not the only one in there, it is not he just sat there the whole 45 minutes you were there, I feel if you rush they will rush and not fid the right answer. Yet that will give you another reason for one of your posts....
Our little home town E R romm is just great. There is hardly ever more then one person there at a time. They get you in fixed up and out.