emergency department

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The emergency room, also known as the rescue center or emergency room, is the first point of contact for people with acute illnesses or injuries. These include accident victims, stroke and heart attack patients, cases of poisoning and patients with acute pain or other symptoms of unclear origin.

With the exception of certain private or specialist clinics, every hospital has an emergency room.Patients are delivered by ambulance or helicopter; others are brought by relatives or come on their own.

The first task of the emergency physician is to assess the patient's condition and, if necessary, to stabilize his condition. Doctors pay particular attention to the following parameters (ABC rule):

A: Airway = secure the airway

B: Breathing = breathing quality, oxygen supply?

C: Circulation = blood pressure, heart rate, EKG

The emergency physicians also ask the patients about their symptoms (rash, breathing difficulties, pain, etc.), any underlying illnesses, allergies and the use of medication. The sequence of events that led to the emergency is also important. If an operation is urgently necessary, you must also ask about your last meal.

If a patient cannot be addressed, the accompanying persons (relatives, friends, etc.) are interviewed. The statements of the ambulance staff also provide important information if the patient was brought in with the ambulance.

Using certain checklists, doctors can classify how serious a patient's condition is and what stabilization measures are necessary. Since the most urgent cases naturally have priority, patients with less severe injuries and problems in the emergency room often have to wait longer before they can be treated.

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