Emergency

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

The emergency department is a vital part of the hospital where patients can receive immediate and effective care in emergencies. The medical team works in a coordinated and rapid manner, following specific protocols and guidelines to provide the best possible care for patients. It is important for the emergency department to be well equipped, staffed with qualified specialists, and integrated with other hospital departments to provide quality care and save lives.

Daviva Health Group's Emergency Department provides services with experienced specialist physicians, modern medical devices, and multidisciplinary approaches.

What Is the Emergency Department?

The emergency department is a section of the hospital dedicated to treating patients who require urgent and rapid care. In hospital emergency departments, the healthcare team is ready to perform diagnosis and emergency treatment in the best possible way in cases of serious accidents, sudden health crises, and other situations that require fast and effective intervention. When an emergency arises, the nearest emergency department is usually preferred. It is very important for emergency departments to be prepared and equipped for all kinds of situations in order to carry out emergency healthcare services.

The emergency department is equipped with various devices necessary for the care of patients in critical condition. Access to laboratory and imaging tests that can help in the diagnosis and treatment of patients is also available in the emergency department.

In the emergency department, patients are prioritized according to the severity of their condition. The most serious cases are treated immediately, while less urgent cases may wait for a while for treatment. The medical team consists of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals trained to handle emergencies.

When Should You Go to the Emergency Department?

Knowing when to go to the emergency department can make a major difference to a person's health. The emergency department is for conditions that require urgent intervention, such as chest pain, head trauma, shortness of breath, severe allergic reactions, and uncontrolled bleeding.

Chest Pain and Heart Attacks

Patients often ask whether chest pain is an emergency. Chest pain or pressure, especially when accompanied by other complaints such as shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea, may be a sign of a heart attack. It is very important to seek emergency medical help for chest pain, as prompt treatment can help prevent further complications.

Difficulty Breathing and Respiratory Failure

Shortness of breath, breathing difficulty, or wheezing when breathing should not be ignored, especially if these are new and severe symptoms or if there is an underlying respiratory condition.

Loss of Consciousness

Fainting or loss of consciousness without an obvious cause are warning signs that should be evaluated immediately.

Uncontrolled Bleeding

If bleeding does not stop despite direct pressure, or if there is bloody vomiting or black stool, the emergency department should be visited immediately.

Severe Abdominal Pain

Sudden and severe abdominal pain, especially when accompanied by fever or bloating, may be a sign of a serious illness that requires urgent intervention.

Severe Vomiting or Diarrhea

Severe vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. These conditions can lead to complications. Small children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk.

Sudden Dizziness: Sudden dizziness is also a problem that may be considered an emergency depending on its severity. This problem may be related to the brain, ear, or other organs, so urgent intervention may be necessary.

Signs of Stroke

Symptoms such as sudden weakness on one side of the body, speech impairment, vision loss, or confusion may be signs of a stroke. Every minute matters in these situations.

Fractures, Trauma, or Serious Injuries

Fractures, dislocations, or deep wounds requiring stitches should be treated immediately.

Severe Allergic Reactions

Severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, which present with symptoms like shortness of breath or swelling in the throat, require emergency treatment.

Seizures

Seizures accompanied by fever, also known as febrile seizures, can be seen in young children and may also be a sign of a more serious underlying condition in adults. They require emergency medical intervention for proper evaluation and treatment.

High Fever in Babies

Parents often ask doctors when a high fever becomes an emergency.

Fever in newborns younger than three months, or high, persistent fever and other serious symptoms in older children, should be evaluated immediately.

Gynecological and Obstetric Emergencies

Conditions such as bleeding, labor contractions, or high blood pressure require urgent intervention.

Emergencies in Children

Many of these conditions can also be seen in children. When emergencies occur in children, if there is time, a doctor should be consulted; if the complaints persist, the emergency department should be visited without delay.

How Are Patients Prioritized in the Emergency Department? (What Is Triage?)

In order to correctly identify patients in critical condition, affected patients must be detected immediately upon arrival at the hospital and receive the right treatment at the right time.

Triage means evaluating and classifying patients according to the urgency of treatment.

In emergency departments, triage ensures the effective use of available resources and the rapid identification of life-threatening cases. Triage systems are standard practice in emergency departments and intensive care units. They are also used in outpatient centers during major accidents and disasters with high patient volumes.

During the triage interview, the reasons for coming to the emergency department are asked in detail, the sequence of events is recorded, and the current symptoms and medical history are noted.

In cases involving circulatory system causes or suspected infection, vital parameters such as breathing, heart activity, level of consciousness, and body temperature are measured and recorded immediately. Emergency department doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals can quickly start the initial treatment steps based on this information.

What Do the Emergency Department Color Codes Mean? (Triage System)

The severity of the illness or injury is assessed according to the patient's reported complaints and symptoms. In the emergency department, patients are assigned a priority code based on the urgency of their condition rather than their arrival order. These priority codes are shown with colors. Each color code indicates how quickly the patient needs to be treated.

Red (Emergency)

Indicates a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention, such as a heart attack, acute respiratory failure, severe bleeding, or loss of consciousness. Patients in this category are treated immediately because they pose an immediate risk to their lives.

Yellow (Moderately Urgent)

Indicates moderate medical conditions that require attention, such as chest pain, severe infections, suspected fractures, and moderate injuries.

Green (Not Very Urgent)

Indicates non-urgent or mildly urgent medical conditions that can wait for treatment, such as minor injuries, colds, and chronic pain.

What Interventions Are Performed in the Emergency Department?

During examinations in the emergency department, the cause of the symptoms is determined and illnesses are diagnosed. Different examinations may be performed depending on the symptoms. Examples of procedures performed in the emergency department include:

Physical Examination

The physical examination depends on the type of symptom or injury. For example, in cases of severe abdominal pain, the doctor first listens to bowel sounds with a stethoscope, then checks by pressing with the hand whether there is pain, tenderness, or a mass.

Imaging Methods

These include cross-sectional imaging studies such as Computed Tomography, as well as emergency X-ray and emergency ultrasound examinations.

Laboratory Tests

First, an emergency blood test is performed, meaning blood values are examined. Urine tests may also be performed when necessary.

Further Examinations

There are many other examination methods that can be used in the emergency department. These include, among others, evaluating the measurement of the heart's electrical activity (ECG).

If necessary in the emergency department, suturing, intravenous fluid therapy, and dressing applications can also be performed.