In the event of an emergency, call 911.

When to Come to the ER

You should come to the ER if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Chest pain and symptoms of a heart attack
• Stroke Symptoms
• Difficulty breathing or severe breathing problems
• Bleeding injuries
• Major injuries, especially head injuries
• Serious burns
• Broken bones
• Symptoms of poisoning (Poison Control: 800-222-1222)
• Major allergic reactions
• Suicidal thoughts

What to Bring to the ER

• All current medications (or the medications themselves)
• Personal identification
• Health insurance card
• List of known allergies
• Information about recent medical procedures or test results

What is Triage?
The duty of the Triage Nurse is to make sure the patients with the most serious injuries or illnesses are seen first. We do not see patients according to the time that they arrive in the Emergency Department, but according to the seriousness of their injury or illness. Please be aware that patients with less urgent conditions may have longer wait times if patients arrive with life-threatening or more serious injuries or illnesses.

As soon as a room becomes available, you will be escorted to a treatment room. If you are asked to wait in the waiting room until a treatment room becomes available:

• Let the Triage Nurse, a LPN or ER Technician know if there are any new symptoms or changes in your condition.
• Do not eat or drink anything before checking with the Triage Nurse.
• Check with the Triage Nurse before using the restroom in case a specimen is needed to help diagnose your condition.

Feel free to ask questions regarding your care at any time. If you have any concerns about your visit, please feel free to ask for the charge nurse on duty, the nursing supervisor or the Director of the Emergency Department.

South Central Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department is staffed 24 hours a day with specially trained emergency physicians, family nurse practitioners, registered nurses and LPNs. The department’s comprehensive triage system ensures that patients with the most serious conditions are treated first. South Central’s Emergency Department serves as a referral center for other area hospitals.

South Central Regional Medical Center is designated by the State of Mississippi as a Level 3 Trauma Center. The following services are available 24hrs/day:

• Trauma Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• ENT Surgery
• Ophthalmology
• Radiology Services
• Surgery Services
• Anesthesia

With a level 3 designation, the trauma center also has a full-time Trauma Medical Director, full-time Trauma Program Manager, and a full-time Trauma Registrar to ensure that patients are receiving optimal trauma care.

Staff Training

The Nursing staff in our Emergency Department are certified in the latest programs offered from the American Heart Association and Emergency Nurses Association which includes courses like:

• Advanced Burn Life Support
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Certified Emergency Nurse
• Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Trauma Nursing Core Course

For more information about South Central’s Emergency Services, please call 601-426-4515 or 601-426-4101.

Some decisions are easy: where to buy groceries, when to add gas to your car, but when it comes to healthcare, the choice is not always so clear. When you are feeling sick or are injured, there are several key places you can go for medical care: a doctor’s office, an urgent care center or the emergency room. Here is a quick guide to help you know where to go, based on the urgency of your condition.