Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The world of health and medicine can be confusing to many parents. But Nurse Suzy is here to help clarify some of the issues that are important to you and your family.
This week's question deals with determining the difference between a true emergency and a situation that can wait for an appointment with your doctor.
Question:
My question that I would love a nurse's view on is this: At what point is it time to go to the emergency room?
Answer:
It is very difficult to know when to take your children to the emergency room because of the emotion associated with your child being ill. I worked in the emergency rooms throughout northern Utah for many years and it is my conclusion that 80 percent of ER visits are for illnesses that could be handled in a doctor's office.
The problem is that doctor's offices are only open certain hours, they restrict the number of patients they can see in a day, and they are limited by the insurance companies they do business with. Many people do not have insurance at all and use the emergency room as their primary doctor's office, which is not good for a busy hospital or our society's resources.
If your child is sick and cannot get in to see your doctor immediately, ask the office staff if any other doctor in their office has an opening. The second route I would suggest is go to an Instacare or Urgent Care facility, where the fee for services is quite a bit lower and more reasonable.
If these options are not open to you, here are a few suggestions to help you determine how urgent the situation is:
Related:
Mommy Medicine: Does that cut need stitches?
How do you tell if a cut needs stitches? Nurse Suzy has a few suggestions.- If your child has a fever, but you can reduce the fever with Tylenol or ibuprofen, the illness can usually wait until the doctor's office is open.
- If your child has a rash that only itches a little, or not at all, they can wait until the doctor's office opens.
- If you have a sore arm, leg or other body part that can be relieved with medication at home, but you are worried about it being something more, you can usually wait to seek help from your doctor.
- If your child is sick for several days, do not wait until the weekend or night to seek help when you are exhausted and not thinking straight. Seek your doctor's help beforehand.
If you think your situation is a true emergency, don't wait. Call 911 or go to your nearest ER. As stated on WebMD.com, "Most doctors would agree on a short list of problems that should always be treated as emergencies-chest pain that could be a heart attack, not being able to breathe, severe and uncontrolled bleeding, stroke symptoms, and a few others."
While the staff in an ER cannot turn you away, you need to understand that the hospital and the physicians who treat you will bill you for the services they provide. There is nothing more frustrating than going to the emergency room being told it really is not an illness they would do anything for and getting a bill for over $500.00.
Use good judgment and the suggestions above when seeking medical help.
Suzanne Carlile, "Nurse Suzy," has been a nurse since 1982. Her main focus is critical care and nursing education. She holds a master's degree in nursing, is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and a member of NNSDO Intermountain West Chapter.
