Greenwich Hospital Emergency Department

What to Expect
When you arrive in the Emergency Department our staff at the reception desk will ask your name and begin a record of your visit.

You may be directed to the waiting area before seeing a triage nurse.

Triage
A specially trained triage nurse will begin assessing your condition. He or she will ask you questions about your illness or injury and take your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. Under the guidance of a physician and standard protocols, the triage nurse can begin your care immediately. Medicine for pain or fever may be given and x-rays ordered right away.

The triage process helps our Emergency Department staff decide which patients should be treated first. All our patients are evaluated in this manner. Of course, patients with critical or life-threatening illnesses are given top priority.

Your Care Team
While you are in the Emergency Department you may be cared for by the following medical professionals:

A Physician who is board certified in emergency medicine will lead your care team.

A Physician Assistant (PA) who is licensed to practice under the supervision of a physician may care for you in our Fast Track area or main Emergency Department.

A Registered Nurse who is specialty trained and certified in emergency care will monitor your condition, give medications, if needed, and keep you and your family informed.

A Nursing Assistant may assist you and your family with personal needs. They are skilled at taking blood samples and performing tests such as EKGs.

Additional team members include consulting physicians, social workers, volunteers, registrars, transport aides and environmental services staff. We all work together to provide you with the very best care.

Emergency Angioplasty?
At Greenwich Hospital patients experiencing acute heart attack receive critical cardiac care, including life-saving emergency angioplasty. To learn more about the Yale New Haven Health Heart Institute and emergency angioplasty services see Medical Services > Cardiology > Patient Care Services > Primary Angioplasty in this web site.

What is Fast Track?
Fast Track is an area within the Emergency Department that cares for patients with less complex conditions like cuts, fractures and sprains. Typically, patients can be examined, treated and discharged home within 90 minutes of arrival.

If my condition is not critical, how long will I have to wait?
The Emergency Department staff works hard to provide prompt care, but you may still experience a wait. Your wait will depend on several factors:

• the nature of your condition
• how busy the department is when you arrive (evenings, weekends and holidays are our busiest times)
• the number of persons requiring immediate treatment for serious conditions

After you have been seen by a physician you may need to wait for x-rays or laboratory results.

Can I have something for the pain?
We will make every effort to control your pain. However, pain medicine can hide symptoms of certain illnesses. That means sometimes we have to wait to give you pain medication until after the physician or PA examines you. Even so, please let us know if you are in pain because we may be able to offer something to make you more comfortable until medication can be given. As soon as it is safe for you to receive pain medicine, we will have it ready for you.