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UNMATCHED
ER CARE
DAVE EVANS I S
no
stranger to emergency
room visits. Over the
course of his life he’s had
more than a few, and
most of those visits were
in large hospital systems.
His own words tell his
story best.
“I have a condition
that over many years
has taken me to the
emergency room,” Ev-
ans says. “I have been in
many hospital emergency
rooms throughout Or-
egon and Washington. I
have to say the emergency department in Moses Lake
at Samaritan Hospital is far, far superior to any others I
have ever been in!”
Evans feels his most recent trips to the emergency
room, which eventually resulted in surgical care, will
probably solve one of the reasons for his frequent visits.
In his opinion, other facilities ignore critically ill patients
in favor of paperwork. At Samaritan, he felt the word
“triage” had meaning. Recounting his story, he still feels
shocked that his needs were assessed and he was seen so
quickly. He praises everyone from reception to nursing
staff and physicians, stating that the care he received left
him “no reason to go anywhere else.”
Staying local was important to Evans, and he also came
to Samaritan when it was time for his surgery. One of the
things that impressed him the most was that he never
felt unattended to. At every moment there was someone
with himmaking sure he was cared for and aware of what
was happening.
Coming out of anesthesia after surgery, Dave remem-
bers feeling comforted by compassionate nurses. He also
praises the surgical team for being incredibly efficient,
yet warm and caring at the same time. Evans’ advice to
Samaritan for the future: “Don’t try to copy others; you
will go downhill!”
IS IT
URGENT—
OR AN
EMERGENCY?
YOU’VE CUT YOUR
thumb with a knife. It’s bleeding,
and a simple bandage won’t do. You might even need
stitches. Unfortunately, it’s also Sunday afternoon, and
you can’t wait until Monday morning to call your doctor’s
office. What do you do?
Consider coming to Samaritan Urgent Care. Samaritan
Urgent Care can provide fast medical help for situations
that are not life-threatening.
When it’s urgent, Samaritan Urgent Care is a place
where you can walk in without an appointment and be
seen by a medical professional without having to wait
very long. Urgent care offers a convenient alternative
when your doctor’s office is closed or when you can’t get
an appointment as quickly as you need one.
According to the Urgent Care Association of America,
urgent care is appropriate for minor illnesses and injuries,
such as:
●
Cuts and lacerations.
●
Sprains and strains.
●
Colds, fevers and the flu.
●
Earaches.
●
Rashes.
●
Stomachaches, vomiting and diarrhea.
●
Back pain.
When it’s an emergency
Urgent care is not emergency
care—it shouldn’t be used for life-threatening problems.
If you think you or someone else has a true emer-
gency, call 911 or go to an emergency department. Signs
of an emergency include difficulty breathing, chest pain,
fainting, severe vomiting or diarrhea, severe pain, and
uncontrolled bleeding.
Also, don’t use urgent care for routine medical ap-
pointments. Neither urgent nor emergency care should
be used in place of a primary care doctor.
a feeling “something may not be right.” You know your
loved one better than anyone else and can clue in health
care teammembers who may have just met the patient for
the first time that week or within the past several hours.
H:
Help
with decision making.
Be the second set of
eyes and ears for the patient. Many patients forget every-
thing they meant to ask and say once the doctor or nurse
enters the room. Ask questions and take notes for your
loved one so that they can be the one to take the lead and
share in decision making as much as they wish to do so.
E:
Enlist
help from health care team members.
Certain
staff may make you feel comfortable enough that you can
ask them for support for yourself and your family as you
work together in care and making choices.
R: Be
ready
, whether you are entering the hospital,
a home with or without home care, or community care.
Before you leave your current setting, ask questions and
confirm that your questions and the patient’s questions
all have been answered. You will need to know what will
be needed after your transition to a new environment,
such as medications, treatment, equipment usage and
what follow-up appointments are needed. Lastly, know
what changes in your loved one need to be told to the
health care provider should they occur.
Use this acronym to remember that you are more than
just a visitor, and you have the right to have an active role
in the care of your loved one or friend who is hospitalized.
For an expanded understanding of what your role
as a partner in care includes, visit
www.ipfcc.org.
This article reproduced with permission from the author, Tamara Jessica Brown, MSN,
RN-BC, PCCN, CNE.
TOGETHER
Continued from page 1
A SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE:
Dave Evans is appreciative
of the care he received at
Samaritan.
WALK RIGHT IN:
Samaritan Urgent Care is open 7 days a week with extended hours. No appointment necessary.
Samaritan Urgent Care,
located at 1550 S. Pioneer Way,
is open Monday through Friday
from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on
weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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T H E
S A M A R I T A N