Emergency Services
Your Turn for Treatment
A triage nurse will determine the seriousness of your condition,
based on your symptoms. Patients with life-threatening conditions
such as a stroke or heart attack are seen first. The length of your
stay in the Andrew F. Anderson Emergency Center will depend on your symptoms,
illness and whether you have to be admitted to the hospital. The
length of your stay in the center will also depend on the number of
other patients receiving care in the center. Also, if the emergency
physician needs to consult with a specialist or if you have special
tests and/or x-rays taken, your stay may be longer.
An center staff member will call you into a treatment room where you
may be asked to put on hospital clothes. The center staff member will
check your condition, ask some questions, examine you and discuss
your problem and any tests or treatments that may be necessary.
Because patients often remember important medical information when
their stress decreases they are asked questions more than once by
emergency staff.
What to expect after treatment
After you are treated by center staff, you will be discharged, admitted
to the hospital or taken to a different facility. If you are discharged,
you will be given instructions on how to care for yourself and given
a number to call if you have continued problems. You may be told
that you need follow-up treatment from your primary care physician.
You are responsible for your own transportation home.
If your problem is more serious or requires special care, you
may be admitted to Rhode Island Hospital.
Need an Interpreter?
If you are non-English speaking, deaf or hard-of-hearing, and require
an interpreter to communicate, please let a member of the emergency center staff
know.
More
about interpreter services
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