Accredited Chest Pain Emergency Room
The Chest Pain ER is a special unit within University Community Hospital's emergency roon that treats patients with symptoms of cardiac illness or injury. Specially trained nurses use protocols that provide for early detection and intervention of cardiac problems. Monitors are capable of 12 lead EKG and ST segment monitoring.
The Chest Pain Emergency Room is a five-bed facility staffed with specially trained nurses and physicians, is open 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, and designed to quickly evaluate people who are suffering chest pain or any of the other symptoms of a heart attack.
We are particularly proud that the Society of Chest Pain Centers has granted the designation of Accredited Chest Pain Center to University Community Hospital, making it the sixth facility in Florida and 48th in the nation to be accredited.
The Early Cardiac Care Program
People trained in Early Heart Attack Care can recognize the warning signals of a heart attack. They also know how to intervene to save the life of a loved one or a friend.Every year, heart attacks kill 600,000 Americans. That makes heart attacks America's #1 health problem. Yet half of these deaths could be prevented! Drugs are available to break up blood clots and stabilize arteries in the early stages of a heart attack. These drugs can save lives and prevent severe and irreversible damage to the heart muscle.But timing is critical. These medications are effective only when patients receive them in the first hours of a heart attack, or better still, before the heart attack truly begins. A majority of heart attacks are preceded by a clear warning signal. Heeding that warning promptly can literally mean the difference between life and death! Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
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Pain, pressure or an unfamiliar discomfort in the mid-chest, shoulders, inner arms, elbows, wrists, fingers, neck, jaw, teeth or gums
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Shortness of breath
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Feeling listless
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Light-headedness
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Nausea
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Sweating
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Pale complexion
Early Cardiac Care Giver's Oath I hereby solemnly swear that when a person in my presence is experiencing the early symptoms of a heart attack, I will make every effort to get this person to go to the nearest hospital emergency room to get those symptoms checked out. Find out how to save a life, maybe your own.
What to Expect as a Patient in the Emergency Room
Upon arrival to the ER, patients are assessed by a triage nurse. Triage, a French word that means "to sort," helps ensure that patients with the most serious needs are treated first. Based on the triage process, patients are transported to the treatment area and are seen by the ER physician. Lab tests and X-rays may be ordered by the physician to assist in diagnosing the patient and arriving at a decision regarding any further treatment, admission or discharge.