Wow, the emergency department is packed today with such high acuity! Bed 'A' is a 45-year-old patient having a myocardial infarction- a heart attack. Poor baby in Bed 'B' crying with no tears she is so dehydrated. Everybody seems to have an emergency with the outbreak of the flu virus. Bed 'D' diarrhea and vomiting 80 years old, and, only MD on-call 2 mid-levels or physician assistants in the emergency department.

Hospital emergency departments (EDs) also known as an emergency room (ER) play a vital role in the acute health care system. ED /ER provide emergency medical and surgical care for patients with acute illness and injury, and access to the health system. When checking into the emergency department, it is important to provide legal identification. Accessing electronic medical record from every medical provider makes it easy to provide optimum care.

The emergency department recognizes that every person walks through its door has an emergency and order to provide efficient care, the emergency department must triage and prioritize its patient care by acuity or threatening illness or injury. You have the right as a patient to know what plan of care. You also have a right to be protected from acquiring any other disease while in care in the emergency department. Being offered a surgical mask is a way to protect you from droplet virus that is in the air.