Areas of Specialty

Emergency Department

The Emergency Department is a Level I Trauma Center, approved for pediatrics by IDPH. Care is provided to all types of patients, from minor illnesses through major life and/or limb threatening diseases with a major cardiac population. The pace of the department varies from day-to-day and hour-to-hour. Staffing levels vary with time of day, but usually have one RN per three or four patients. There is physician coverage in the department 24 hours/day. All rooms have cardiac monitors. Patients on ventilators are cared for in the department.

The majority of patients have at least one IV. Approximately 30% of the patients seen in the ED are pediatric patients. Nurses in the area obtain and maintain ACLS certification, Emergency Communications, Registered Nurse Licensure by State, PALS or Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course Certification and Trauma Nursing Core Course Certification, advancing to licensure by State as Trauma Nurse Specialists.

The Emergency Department receives every type of patient – general medical, pediatric, trauma, ortho, psych, gyne/OB, cardiac, respiratory and critically ill/full arrest. Patients can be put on telemetry, ventilators, pacemakers and arterial lines. Nurses assist in procedures, i.e. orthopedic cases – castings, reset bone fractures, conscious sedations, give medications, nebulizers, respond to codes in ED, and they assist with gyne procedures.

The pace of the unit varies with census and acuity of individual patients and with time of day. RN’s take care of approximately three to four patients, depending on patients’ conditions. The ED is a 24/7 operation, Express Care is open from 1100-2300.

 

 

For more information

email ann.randol@st-johns.org