In the ER waiting room people are not always taken in order they came in why?

To everyone your own illness seems worse then anothers, but in reality that is why they have the triage to check you out and see just how serious your condition is at that time. Some people may not look as sick as you feel but indeed can be on the verge of dying so naturally they are seen first it is only fair.

good day. Triage works that way. most serious first like vehicular accident, GI emergency that needs immediate OR, poisoning and respiratory distress comes first while fever, diarrhea, non bleeding peptic ulcer, cough and colds tend to get in second.

yeah that's true, doctor classify patients from mild, moderate, sever, and the more the symptoms and the bad signs they will took the case immediatly. Don't get angry if you have to wait becuase , time is volunable for some patient it is life saving issue.

They practice triage in Aussie hospitals...at least they do in the ones I've been in. I think it's fair. If someone comes in with a heart attack or bleeding profusely or not able to breath easily, are you going to expect them to wait?

Yes all patients that go to the ER must go through triage first, this is the way it should be. If patients were seen in the order they came in this would cause problems because there are patients who are life threatening and some that are not.

They must have had a very busy night. They usually take the more serious cases first and then start filling up the beds on a first come first serve basis.

Around here, they take in the ones that they consider more life threatening. Sometimes that makes things a pain, but others, it is great.

I agree that the critical should come first, but it is natural when you are in pain of any kind to only focus on yourself. Most do not consider the ambulances coming in possibly helicopters, they only focus on the ones in the waiting room, while it is hard, and seems unfair, I am sure they are doing the best they can.

I think a triage of this sort is necessary in order to run an efficient emergency room and experience less loss of life and other serious complications. Though I absolutely do not approve of a triage which determines one person's life is more important than another's

A lot of emergency rooms are seriously understaffed, don't have the space and are overwhelmed at times. Like triage in a war, they have to treat the people who are in the most danger. It may not seem fair to some people but if you are in there with a bad flu or a broken toe vs someone whose heart has stopped or is bleeding out,or can't get a breath, which would be the most logical one to help first? Obviously the one in more danger. They aren't trying to ignore the less serious cases, they just have to prioritize. Until they can get better funding, which isn't likely to happen, it will stay this way. You have to make sure they understand precisley what is going on with you, so they can decide if you need to go in immediately or not.

I guess it depends how serious each case is. It would be easier if the people waiting didn't take it personally. Anger gets out of control with people. That can make it worse. In your case I think the staff did the right thing.

Your right, Emergency room use TRIAGE to be able to save lives, most critical will come entertain first than the minor situation. I understand this situation because health care professionals are tend to minimize life threatening situations like blood loss or shock, trauma etc.

I think its a fair way to do it...Triage. I'm sure people would be furious if someone with a severed artery went in and had to wait til someone with a minor cough was seen and ended up dying while waiting to be seen. Sure it makes for a longer wait if its not serious BUT for those its serious for its very good. If its not serious and can wait the best is to go see your regular doctor or a walkin clinic.

I understand why they take the more serious ill people first but when i had to take my daughter to the er we go in right away but had to wait four hours to have her admited and we waited in one of the rooms for that four hours and no one check on us. she had a fever of 103.0 rectally so you would think that they would check more often. Thank goodness she is fine now but if they are that backed up they need to bring in more help.

I think the worst cases should be seen first. I just don't like the four hour wait that you have to go through when you really need a doctor. I have no problem with someone going ahead of me if their situation is worse than mine but I do think that hospitals could do a whole lot more in the area of customer service. After all, we are customers and we pay dearly for the service.

I have to agree with it. It may not seem fair to those that have to wait longer, but if someone comes in that is in critical need, then they should by all means be seen first.

I think what the ER people are practicing is fair enough. They should take in first those with critical cases because it only takes seconds and they could be gone right away. People with minor complaints though they came in first can wait and probably would understand the situation. I think those who cannot understand the situation, needs psychiatric help. Hatley, Im glad you were taken at once when you had that bad situation and I'm glad I got to be part of one of your discussions these days.

I think that it is fair way of doing things. The more urgent cases should go first. A lot of times you will see people in the ER for a cold or something that to them is urgent, but compared to other people in the ER their situation can wait a little bit longer.

Wow Hatley nearly eighty you sound so much younger in your discussions and responses, young at heart eh! Yes there is a system and it is only right that the critical are dealt with first. At my old local hospital they would do an initial assessment and then you would be graded red, blue, yellow and on the board it would explain that there would be minimul wait for reds, up to so many hours for blues etc. these times would be adjusted as to how busy they were so you knoew roughly how long the wait would be instead of keep hassling reception. Ellie :D

I think it is perfectly all right bcoz if a critical case does come up it should be attended first no point in stalling or waiting turn the person can actually die...If a person who in a critical condition and is not attended immediately then it is negligience on thepart of hospital authorities..it had happened with me only once my son had got hurt in the park and his knee was swollen i took him to the ER and the ppl were very sweet to let me go ahead bcoz my son was crying....we all are human beings and we need to b compassionate abt one another...have a nice day..