Emergency Rooms Suck – Here’s How to Make Them Suck Less

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Emergency Rooms suck.  There’s no denying that. No matter how many nice plants and things are in the waiting room, it is a scary, awful, germy place to be. One of the biggest differences from my experience as a child and now as a mom is visiting the ER. When I was growing up, my siblings and I seldom had anything wrong other than Strep or a cold. I can only remember a handful of emergency room visits, and even then, the memory is vague. Having an asthmatic and premie twins, however, has given me perspective and experience that I figured I’d share for any mamas out there.ER waiting room chairs

We are so lucky to have emergency care

First, I will say we have amazing care here in Cincinnati for kids. If you ever find yourself in need of visiting the ER, know that what we have available to us is so good compared to what may be available in other states or even other parts of Ohio – so congrats to us for that! Even the local urgent care options are great, as there are community-based options throughout a lot of the Cincinnati area.

Be patient – it’s going to take a while

Going to the ER is not generally a fast process. And, just by stepping foot in the waiting room you, of course, are subjecting yourself to additional germs, so we try to wait it out until we know something can’t wait until Monday or it’s severe enough to need a medical intervention. This is not to replace medical advice, but what we’ve come to learn is that the after-hours nurse line (if your pediatrician has one), is generally going to send anyone under two years old to the ER if you call in, especially if your kiddos were preterm.

Kid doctor dressup

Choose your emergency room location wisely

When possible, I definitely encourage anyone to try to start at urgent care ahead of the hospital ER, as this will save time and money and often provides better attention and lower provider to patient ratios. As a caveat to this, there was a time with my asthmatic son when we did this with about 90 minutes to closing time. Because we were not yet discharged and they were closing up shop, they sent us down to Children’s/Infant Transport to the Main Campus. I insisted I could drive him, but what they shared was if we left and drove ourselves, it would be against medical advice, and insurance wouldn’t cover the second claim. So we rode, and my son got to amuse the transport team with jokes, and check out the Elsa stickers plastered on the inside. Consider how long you could be there, and whether you’d be admitted to help you make your choice as well as what location may/may not accept your insurance.

Our checklist

Amenities vary based on which location you are at, and even which wing of the location you are at.  Because of this, I have a checklist we use as we are getting ready to go. Of course, please don’t delay going if you’re having a more emergent reason to go like an exposed broken bone. Personally, I toss all this into a $1 reusable bag so I won’t be sad if I toss it when we’re done (germs, floors, ew).

Kid coloring with crayons

  • Ipad/electronic items – the kids are going to need something to keep them entertained.  Most rooms will have a TV but the location can limit the options and we’ve had both a broken TV and a broken remote before.
  • Chargers – for everything you’ll have with you: iPad, phones, etc. I use my phone a lot to check MyChart for past medications and visits, as well as to take notes of who is coming and going in and out of the room (there are often MANY people stopping by and it’s important to remember who said what and when, what meds were given to your child and at what time, especially when your visit could be in the middle of the night when you’re sleepy).
  • Water – they will offer you something to drink, but if your kid requires a certain type of cup/straw, make sure to bring one (and maybe a backup in case they fall on the floor). We also have a collection of the Nuby sippy cup straps (use them on the stroller too) to attach the cup to the side rails.
  • Blanket – they will have their own to provide, but if your kids have a preference, bring it along. Depending on what you’re going in for and if there’s a potential for bodily fluids, bringing two may not be a bad idea.
  • Jackets – this is for the grown-ups. You may want something to put on yourself so you’re comfy in those not-so-comfy seats.
  • Change of clothes – this is honestly for everyone involved.  For the kids, knowing that they need access to everything, I recommend 2-piece items. For thegrown-upss, maybe bring an extra shirt in the case of bodily fluids mentioned already.
  • Spray Lysol – I’m that mom that brings a travel sized Lysol with me everywhere.  I seem to find them at CVS and Walgreens more than anywhere else.
  • Non-noisy things to do – by that I mean, bring Little People toys (can we sanitized in sink or with Lysol), or coloring books/crayons, stickers & paper, magnetic drawing boards like this travel one that also clips on. Another idea is to go to a dollar store and buy a few “new” things that you won’t be sad to toss away when done.
  • Kids doctor kit – if your child isn’t a healthcare pro just yet, bringing along a kids doctor kit can be helpful so you can “demo” what is going to be done.  If you don’t have one, just ask the providers to pretend on you first.  This can go a long way with calming the nervous little people in the room.
  • Medications – make sure to take note of what your kiddo takes, even bring along if needed.  But also – knowing you could be there a while, bring whatever YOU take with as well.  I suffer with migraines, and the lights in the ER don’t always help, so my meds are important to have packed just as much as theirs so I can be helpful when the kids need me, and so I can tolerate the umpteenth episode of the Bubble Guppies.
  • Travel toothbrushes – I personally LOVE my Colgate Wisps as they are so convenient to keep and don’t require water. If nothing else, a pack of gum can help!
  • Leave other kids at home and bring a helper – if at all possible, leave any “extra” kiddos at home with someone else and possibly consider having another adult with you.  It helps to have someone else hear the same thing, but also in the case of your arms falling asleep or you needing to use the restroom, it’s nice to have someone else your kiddo knows to stay with them. This also helps as it gets colder or is raining as someone else can fetch the car and you can keep your kiddo comfy until the car is ready.
  • Last – I’ll warn to be careful about bringing a “lovey” with. If you have a cherished animal or blankie that literally can’t be lost or washed properly, do what you can to leave it home. This could be quite traumatic if something were to happen to it, and you just don’t know what’s next when you’re being treated in the ER, and certainly will have other things in mind than tracking the lovey.

While I hope you never have to go through an ER visit with your little ones, I hope this list helps you think it through ahead of time, as just like packing the bag for when you delivered your babies, it’s nice to have a few things on hand that make your time there a little less stressful.

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