Emergency room gearing up for inclement weather

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center emergency room is preparing for inclement weather.

They are open 24/7 and have an emergency preparedness team that stays connected with their local city and county emergency preparedness group, officials said Friday in a press release.

Carla Rider, chief nursing officer at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, said, “We are all anchors in our community and we are here to meet your emergency needs.”

At the hospital, Rider says they start looking at inclement weather plans several days before it happens. 

“Looking at our schedules, making sure that we’re staffed up, we reach out to all of our staff that are on schedule during that time frame to make sure that they are able to be here,” she said. 

During extreme weather, PBRMC’s ER Director Heather Chasteen, said they “see an increase in patients suffering from chest pain and stroke.”

“During inclement weather please don’t put yourself or others at risk, if you are suffering a medical emergency, call 911,” Chasteen added.

She also sees traumatic brain injuries, advanced trauma from car accidents, and injuries from falling.

Rider noted, “Especially with our elderly patients. So falls with injuries. You know, we really want to make sure that people wear the right shoes and if they have to be out, that they’re extremely careful.”

Patients may experience longer wait times during inclement weather, as medical staff assess and prioritizes those that require emergent care first.

Chasteen said, “We want to spend the time that’s needed with those true emergencies. But I think keeping closely connected with those waiting in the waiting room and communicating any wait times is important.”

To avoid making any unwanted trips to the hospital, both Rider and Chasteen have a few recommendations — “Make sure that you keep extra supplies in your vehicle, such as water, and additional clothing. And if you have wet clothing, you definitely want to change that immediately and stay dry.”

They also gave some tips on how to stay healthy this winter.

Those include frequent hand washing, social distancing, and wearing lots of layers.

They also mentioned, “If you’re not feeling good or you have a fever, make sure and treat that appropriately and don’t let it linger.