Hospital Map (15kb, pdf) The Emergency Department
The Emergency Department is located adjacent to the Medical/Intensive Care Unit and Medical Imaging Department, to streamline emergency care. The Unit is staffed to provide 24-hour access for members of the community requiring emergency care and has recently been designated a Regional Trauma Service by the Victorian Department of Human Services.
The WDHS Emergency Department provides a focus for the management of trauma patients and plays an important role in receiving appropriate trauma referrals from the surrounding catchment area.
The Emergency Departments main function is to care for emergencies. If your situation is not an emergency, but you feel you need to see a doctor today you should contact the Hamilton Medical Group.
On arrival the triage nurse will assess the nature of your problem. Each patient is categorised using the 'National Triage Scale' and seen by the doctor as follows:
- Category 1 - Immediate (life-threatening)
- Category 2 - Emergency (could become life-threatening)
- Category 3 - Urgent (not life-threatening)
- Category 4 - Semi urgent
- Category 5 - Non urgent (needs treatment when time permits)
Someone who arrives after you may be seen first due to the urgency of their medical condition, however everyone will be treated as soon as possible.
After triage you will be asked to provide your personal details and then will be asked to wait in the waiting room or designated treatment area. Do not eat or drink anything until the triage nurse says that it is safe to do so.
Relatives are encouraged to accompany a patient to a treatment room, especially if the patient is a child, although the numbers may be restricted due to lack of space. Please go to the waiting room if asked to; this allows procedures and treatment to take place. Parents are also asked to take responsibility for their children whilst in the Emergency Department.
Your visit to the Emergency Department is confidential, so please inform staff if you wish someone to be notified of your attendance. A Victorian Government brochure is available detailing your rights and responsibilities in a public hospital. Click here to view the brochure.
No acts of violence, swearing, threats or verbal abuse towards staff, relatives or another patient, will be tolerated in the Emergency Department. If an incident occurs, security staff and/or the police will be contacted and you will be asked to leave.
29-Mar-2010
ABN: 47 616 976 917