The Stages of an ER Visit

A trip to the emergency department is never planned, but that doesn’t mean you should not be prepared and know what to expect.

Tara Shutes, RN, Director of Emergency Services, Sierra Medical Center, an Extension of Northern Nevada Medical Center, explains what typically happens in a visit to the ER.

 What are the stages of an ER visit?

When you first arrive at the emergency room, you will be triaged by a medical provider who will assess the severity of your symptoms. This assists in identifying your condition and ensure we treat critically ill or injured patients first.

After triage, you will register with the emergency department staff. This includes gathering information to complete the patient records and providing consent for treatment that may be necessary during your visit.

Once you are taken to an ER bed, you will start to receive treatment from a medical provider. Depending on your condition, a registered nurse may start an IV line to quickly administer medications or fluids ordered by a physician. You may also receive imaging or lab services.

Once test results are complete, your condition will be reevaluated to identify an appropriate care plan. If you are not admitted to the hospital, you will receive discharge information about how to care for conditions at home, including medication instructions and recommendations for follow-up care.

Why are patients staged by severity when arriving to the ER?

Triage is an important part of an ER visit. Although you may have arrived before other patients, our medical professionals can properly assess patients, ensuring the sickest and most critical patients are seen first. In addition, emergency departments also see ambulance traffic first since they are often critical.