Crisis
Phase - The ER
Jump to
Crisis Phase -
ICU
The Emergency Room
The main focus for the staff in the ER is to
stabilize the patient.
The doctors and nurses work under intense pressure and stress to try
to identify the injuries and then stabilize the patient so they can
go on to other treatment if necessary.
They worry about assuring a clear airway, stopping any
bleeding, and identifying any internal injuries.
With all of the stress and emotion, the ER experience may be
just a blur when you look back on this tragic event.
What To Expect
Waiting
Controlled Chaos
Be prepared.
If you see the ER team come together to work on a critical
patient it looks like a swarm of bees.
There are doctors and nurses everywhere and everyone seems to
be talking all at once.
There is however a method to the chaos you may see in the ER.
Each person has a task and they work together to take the
best possible care of the patient.
Then, just as quickly, the swarm of doctors and nurses
disperses and moves on to the next person.
Tips From One Family to the Other
When the Chaplain Meets You
When our daughter was injured it happened that
my wife was out shopping with some other family members and she and
the others arrived at the ER at the same time as I did.
Our group was met by a chaplain and escorted to a room away
from the general waiting area.
There we were told we could call any other family members.
At the time, we thought it was a nice gesture
and just happenstance that the chaplain had met us.
Now we know that it was actually part of the plan the
hospital had in place.
It seems that the seriousness of our daughter’s injuries had set
their plan in motion.
The chaplain provided comfort, an interface with the medical
staff and along with the extra privacy and some extra care and
attention. It was very
welcome and very helpful.
Do take advantage of the Chaplain's office
services. Even after we
made our daughter's religious preference known, the other Chaplains
from all of the various faiths continued to visit Ashleigh and were
of great comfort to us.
Call Your Family
If you are fortunate enough to have family
nearby, take advantage of the waiting period and call your family to
come join you. Besides
the obvious care and support your family can provide they can also
help you remember more of the details you hear or ask questions you
may not think of. With
all of the stress and worry you probably will not be thinking
clearly and won’t be able to take it all in.
The doctors may ask just to speak with the parents or the
spouse but we ended up just having the doctors address the whole
family. This eliminated
us trying to remember everything that was said and relaying it to
the family.
Continue to
Crisis Phase
- The Intensive Care Unit
