When Every Second Counts

Pediatric Emergency Care
About one-quarter of Shore’s emergency patients are children. Children require a special kind of emergency care. They’re not just small versions of adults. The Breslow Tape, for instance, helps emergency personnel quickly correlate a child’s size to a color chart. Color-coded emergency carts are then wheeled in, already stocked with appropriately sized equipment and doses of medicine. Having the right oxygen mask or IV tube ready can save minutes when every second counts.

Shore’s emergency physicians can also consult in-hospital pediatric specialists from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Emergency Room Procedures

Staff
Our Emergency Department is staffed by board-certified emergency physicians and registered nurses certified in Advanced Cardiac and Pediatric Life Support (ACLS, PALS). In addition, pediatric physician specialists from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are on duty at Shore Memorial Hospital 24 hours a day and are readily available for consultation.

As a Primary Stroke Center, our Emergency Department staff and physicians are specially trained in the care and treatment of stroke patients and are skilled in administering rt-PA, the "clot busting" medication that can save lives when administered in time. Additionally, Shore Memorial’s stroke center provides education programs for EMS to identify stroke signs. We also provide 24-hour neurology and neurosurgery physician care.

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Triage
Your visit will begin with an initial assessment by the triage nurse. Shore's Emergency Department uses the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) - a five-level triage scale to improve patient flow through the emergency department system.

The word triage is derived from the French trier, meaning to sort or choose. The five level system enables Shore Memorial's triage nurses to greet incoming patients, assess their symptoms, vital signs, medical history and medications to that the most seriously ill and injured patients are seen first.

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Registration
After triage, you will be helped to the registration area of the Emergency Department where further information and identification will be requested. It is important to supply current and accurate local (and vacation) addresses and phone numbers as well as the name of a contact person. We may need to contact you with important results or follow-up care after your visit. You will need to supply insurance information and applicable co-pays at the desk of the exit registrar upon discharge from the Emergency Department.

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Placement
After registration you may be placed in the treatment area or waiting room pending seriousness of illness and available bed space. Don't worry, if bed space is not available for immediate placement, our experienced triage staff will begin appropriate studies while you wait. We will check on you frequently to see how you are feeling, and our patient liaison will make you as comfortable as possible. Remember not to eat or drink while you are waiting for treatment without first checking with the triage staff.

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Treatment
In the treatment area you will receive further evaluation by a physician who is a specialist in emergency medicine. Additional testing and treatments will be performed as indicated by your medical exam. These studies may take some time but are needed to complete your treatment plan. During the summer months we may direct you to our Quick Care Department for evaluation and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries. Although it is our goal to make your visit a short one, remember that even in Quick Care, very good care takes some time.

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Visitors
Your privacy and confidentiality are very important to us. Therefore, we ask you limit visitation of your family and friends to one visitor at the bedside. Special circumstances may determine the number of visitors allowed. All pediatric patients younger than 18 may have both parents or guardians accompany them into the treatment area. Patients older than 65 may have their spouse or significant other accompany them into the treatment area. All other patients may have a visitor with them at the bedside after having a private screening by a physician.

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Admissions
Your illness may necessitate admission to Shore Memorial Hospital. After your admission is processed, you will be assigned as an inpatient and transported to your room by an orderly.

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Additional Emergency Services >