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EMERGENCY
What to Expect in Emergency
Emergency Department staff and physicians at Providence Health Care are skilled in providing care of the highest standards, and are committed to treating all patients as quickly and effectively as possible.
The emergency department at St. Paul's Hospital is open 24 hours per day.
Do you need to visit Emergency?
Is your problem serious?
Go to the nearest Emergency Department when:
- You have discomfort or tightness in the chest
- You have more than usual shortness of breath
- You have abdominal pain
- You have prolonged and persistent or sudden onset headache
- You have an injury that may require stitches or may involve a broken bone
- You are experiencing a major crisis and as a result feel helpless, hopeless and have nowhere to turn
- Or any of the following: confusion, agitation, unconsciousness, severe allergic reaction, swelling of the tongue, lips or throat, severe pain, irregular heartbeat, seizure, paralysis, weakness or loss of sensation, severe vomiting, dehydration, vomiting blood, blood or black color in the stool, overdose, etc.
If you are not certain -- GO TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
If your health condition does not appear to be serious, consider seeing your family doctor. You may also consult the BC NurseLine, a 24-hour, toll-free access to registered nurses specially trained to provide confidential health information. Within Greater Vancouver, call 604 215-4700 or go online to http://www.bchealthguide.org/kbaltindex.asp
When you visit the Emergency Department
A triage nurse will assess your condition
An admitting clerk will take information. Have your Care Card ready.
The most serious cases are seen immediately, and most emergency patients receive care within half an hour. However, you may be required to wait longer, as patients in the Emergency Department are seen based on the seriousness of their illness or injury and not time of arrival. Less urgent cases are monitored by the triage nurse and treated appropriately if their condition worsens.
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