In an emergency medical situation, to go to your nearest emergency department or call triple zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance.

Below are key facts as per the Healthdirect.gov.au website:

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hospital-emergency-departments

Key facts

• Emergency departments are open 24-hours a day if you need treatment for a serious medical condition.
• In the emergency department a nurse will triage (assess) your condition, and in this way, determine how urgently you are treated.
• An emergency department doctor or specialist nurse will then examine you, and recommend either staying in the hospital for further treatment, care by your community health providers, or transfer to another hospital.
• Before you leave the hospital, you should make sure you understand your condition, your treatment and follow-up plan.
• Alternatives to the emergency department for less urgent problems are your GP, an urgent care centre, pharmacist or calling healthdirect.

 

Health service provider directory link:

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/australian-health-services

Below information are sourced form the HealthDirect website. For more details visit the website directly.

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hospital-emergency-departments

What happens first when I visit an ED?

When you go to an ED, the first step is usually for hospital staff to get your name, address and Medicare number. This is important, to make sure that you receive the treatment you need, and to avoid confusing your healthcare management with anybody else’s. If you have My Health Record, the ED doctors and nurses may also use this to better understand your health conditions. This step does not happen in a medical emergency.

The triage nurse

EDs use a triage (pronounced tree-arj) system, which ensures the people who need help most urgently are treated first.

The triage nurse will talk to you and might examine you, and will then place you in 1 of 5 categories:

• triage category 1 — needs treatment immediately
• triage category 2 — needs treatment within 10 minutes
• triage category 3 — needs treatment within 30 minutes
• triage category 4 — needs treatment within 1 hour
• triage category 5 — needs treatment within 2 hours

You may be taken to a treatment room right away, or asked to wait in a waiting room. The triage nurse might give you pain relief medicine or order some initial tests.

If your condition gets worse or changes, let the triage nurse know. You may be asked to avoid food and drink while you wait to see a doctor.

The ED doctor

In time, you will be seen by a doctor in a private area. They will talk to you and examine you to assess your condition and decide what treatment or medicine you need. The doctor may order blood tests, x-rays, scans or other tests.

In some cases, emergency departments have specialised nurses and allied health staff instead of, or to support, doctors. You might be offered to see a social worker or referred to other doctors or specialist nurses.

The doctor might also recommend that you:

• stay in a hospital ward overnight or longer
• have treatment, but stay in the ED for a while for observation
• have treatment such as stitches, dressings, a plaster cast, or have surgery
• receive a prescription for medicine
• are discharged for follow-up by your general practitioner (GP)
• are referred to a specialist or outpatient clinic
• go to another hospital better suited to your health condition

What should I ask before being discharged from the ED?

Before you are discharged from hospital, ask for:

• details of your health condition, treatment and medicines, including what treatment to continue once you go home
• advice about when to see your doctor again and a letter for your doctor (known as a discharge summary)
• a letter for Work Cover or a medical certificate for your employer, if needed