The Emergency Department (ED) is the place at North Shore Hospital where people of all ages with acute and emergency health problems are assessed and treated. It is a modern facility commissioned in March 2011 and works alongsied the new ADU. Both units provide 24 hour care 7 days a week.
People presenting to the ED are seen initially by the Triage nurse.
Most people presenting to hospital as "acute patients" are self-referrals so have not seen their GP before coming to hospital. These patients are assessed and treated by the Emergency Medicine doctors and Emergency Nurses in the ED. They are either discharged home or referred to other services for admission or further investigation and treatment. For patients referred to hospital by a GP or Primary Care provider the Triage nurse will direct them to the ADU or if they have a more serious illness to the ED.
Emergency Medicine specialises in the diagnosis, management and treatment of acute and urgent illnesses and injuries that may be life-threatening and require immediate attention.
Other specialty services with doctors working in the ED include General Medicine, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Mental Health.
What is Triage?
All patients presenting to the ED are triaged by a senior nurse according to the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) to determine the nature and severity of the illness or injury. On the basis of this assessment, those with more severe symptoms or injuries are treated before those with less serious conditions.How Many Patients Are Seen at North Shore ED Each Year?
In 2012 we expect to see over 46,000 patients in the ED with another 15,000 beng seen in the ADU.