Emer­gency Medicine

Medical emergencies are scary situations, but know that you can always trust Onslow Memorial Hospital's Emergency Department for quality care. Our board-certified physicians, skilled nurses, nurse practitioners, patient care technicians and diagnostic technicians provide acute emergency care as quickly as possible. Our staff also includes a board-certified specialist physician called a "hospitalist" to enhance your care while staying at Onslow. Learn more about what to expect when facing a medical emergency on this page.

Our Emergency Department can find answers quickly. Onslow Memorial Hospital has an on-site, full-service laboratory that offers screenings, tissue studies, cytology and testing. In addition, the hospital has advanced imaging diagnostics such as CT and MRI imaging.

Step 1: Triage

After arriving, a registered nurse evaluates your health and gathers a brief history. This information affects the severity of your condition. Please understand that patients arriving after you may be treated before you if their condition warrants.

Step 2: Registration

Next, we create a record for your visit. Critically ill patients receive immediate care. Patients with minor injuries can receive care in our Minor Emergency Care Center.

Step 3: Care

We make every effort to provide prompt care to all patients. However, lab testing, x-ray procedures and physician consults may extend the time required to complete your care.

Step 4: Admittance or Discharge

If you’re not admitted to the hospital, you’ll receive instructions about prescriptions and follow-up care, and then you'll be discharged. If you have questions, please ask. Patients are responsible for their own care after they leave the Emergency Department. Don’t forget to schedule any follow-up appointments.

We understand waiting in the Emergency Department can be stressful. If you or someone you love is ill or injured, rest assured the staff of Onslow Memorial Hospital is working hard to serve every patient as quickly as possible.

Because our facility provides critical and acute care services for our community, please understand that some patients may be seen more quickly than other patients who have been waiting. And, while we try to handle patient care as quickly as possible, some diagnostic tests take more time than others. Getting results for one test may take less than an hour, while another could require up to three hours.

Every patient at Onslow Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department deserves only the best care we can give. We greatly appreciate your patience as we help those in need.

Rudy Paul Davis, Emergency Department Patient


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