When David and Sandra Duree left their Redding home on a chilly winter morning they were looking forward to their annual family tradition as they drove through the thick snow up to Mt. Lassen on a quest for the perfect Christmas tree.
The outing quickly took an unexpected turn when a full-size pick-up truck lost control sending their vehicle to an abrupt stop over a snow bank. The Duree’s sat in their vehicle in shock as emergency personnel arrived. David found himself trapped in the driver’s seat with one of his two broken legs stuck between the crushed gas and brake pedals. He also suffered from a lacerated arm while Sandra sat in the passenger’s seat with a broken femur, several cracked ribs and broken fingers.
The Duree’s knew they had a right to make choices about their medical care. “I told them we are going to Mercy. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.” said David Duree. The Duree’s chose Mercy Medical Center Redding (MMCR) is the area’s only Level II Trauma Center.
According to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority, all trauma centers are licensed hospitals, designated by a local Emergency Medical Services Agency as a trauma center, including staff services, and equipment necessary for the care of trauma patients. General requirements for all trauma centers include:
- A trauma program medical director and a trauma nurse coordinator
- A basic emergency department (minimum)
- A multidisciplinary trauma team with specified service capabilities
A Level II Trauma Center provides one of the highest level’s of medical emergency care possible. MMCR’s Emergency Department and its Level II Trauma Center provide board certified doctors, skilled surgeons, sub-specialists, and all the necessary support services and equipment to care for all medical conditions including seriously injured trauma patients on a 24-hour basis. This includes monitoring all phases of care from pre-hospital transport to rehabilitation. MMCR is one of only a few hospitals in the nation with a Traumatologist (the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of serious wounds, injuries, and disabilities).
“Everyone was great.” said Sandra. “We came in through Mercy’s ER and both my husband and I needed surgery. It was important to us that we stayed together. They made that happen for us. At times, recovery can be discouraging because it takes time to get back to the way you used to be but the nurses were great. One of the nurses went out of her way to ensure we had everything we needed to be discharged so we could spend Christmas at home together. The Duree’s arrived at MMCR in an ambulance.
But what can you expect when you walk into MMCR’s Emergency Department?
- A Mercy Medical Center volunteer typically will meet the patient at the front desk and direct the patient to a registered nurse at the triage desk. Triage is the beginning of medical treatment. Triage is a process to help determine the severity of the patient’s condition and to make sure that the emergency doctors see patients who are in the most urgent need of medical care first. The triage nurse will ask what medical purpose brings the patient to the Emergency Department, gather a brief medical history, and perform a brief evaluation of the patient’s condition.
- Next, a MMCR employee will assist with registering the patient by meeting with the patient to obtain the necessary information to begin the personal medical record also known as a chart. It is helpful for the patient to have their medical insurance card ready during this process.
- After being quickly triaged and registered, the patient arrives in the treatment area where a doctor, nurse practitioner and a specially trained nurse continue to provide the patient with medical care. A nurse may start an Intravenous line to administer fluids/medications, obtain a blood or urine sample or send for an X-ray if that is appropriate.
The Emergency Department’s goal is to have all patients seen by a medical provider quickly.
Patients can assist the Emergency Department staff by carrying a list of current medications and allergies in their wallet or purse. It is also a good idea to place the list on the fridge in your home. Emergency personnel are trained to look in these locations for a patient’s medical information.
While emergencies are never planned, you can be prepared, like the Duree family, by knowing your options and declaring where you would like to receive medical attention ahead of time. Today, the Duree’s thank Mercy for the excellent care they received. They are looking forward to restoring their family tradition this holiday season. “I would recommend Mercy to my friends and family. I don’t know what would have happened if we didn’t have the doctors and nurses that we did.” said David Duree. “I don’t think there is a way to say how thankful we are.” said Sadra Duree.
