advertisement

er doctor pens book about life in the emergency ward

"the emergency department has always been the safety net for society, i think, and for the rest of the medical system. it's hard for us to be that and all these other things now." — dr. fred voon

er doctor pens book about life in er
the controlled chaos of an emergency ward is almost a beautiful thing to watch — unless, that is, you're waiting for medical help. submitted photo / ubc
by: gordon mcintyre
the controlled chaos of an emergency ward is almost a beautiful thing to watch — unless, that is, you’re waiting for medical help.
add covid-19 to the mix and chaos begins to get the upper hand on control.
“there have been different phases,” said dr. fred voon, a clinical assistant professor with ubc’s department of emergency medicine, who is now based in victoria. “at the beginning there was a lot of fear and uncertainty, a lot of danger present.
“it felt like as healthcare workers we were, you know, going to catch this thing and pass it on to family and friends, that some of us would not make it through to the other side.”
a lull followed in which the public generally avoided going to emergency wards, voon said.
“and now we’re seeing the system under maximal stress, and crumbling at times, because people can’t get into their family doctors, or they line up an hour early for the walk-in clinic and they still can’t get in.
“the emergency department has always been the safety net for society, i think, and for the rest of the medical system. it’s hard for us to be that and all these other things now.”

voon has written a book about how emergency departments work, your inside guide to the emergency department — and how to prevent having to go! , hoping to answer questions such as why waits are so long and why you have to tell the same story you told the last person.

powered by
canadian centre for caregiving excellence

advertisement

advertisement

he kept hearing the same questions from angry or confused patients in the er waiting room, voon said, and he searched for pamphlets or brochures that could be distributed to emergency departments but couldn’t find any.
so, understanding the underlying patterns of what happens and why after 15 of emergency department work in b.c. and new zealand, and seeking input from nurses and other staff, voon put pen to paper to demystify emergency room visits.
“i realized it wasn’t the public’s fault for not knowing this stuff,” he said. “it’s our fault as a medical system that we haven’t educated the public about what to expect from the emergency department.”
the book takes on some common myths — as you’ll probably be unprepared on your first visit to an emergency department if you’re relying on a tv drama or an internet search for what to expect — suggests what to stock in your home medicine cabinet, advises on trusted internet sites, and lets you know how to prepare in case you have to go to the hospital.
“some conditions aren’t an emergency and it could save a person an emergency visit altogether if they knew that,” voon said. “on the other hand, i also tried to include some dangerous things that people might not know about, such as aortic emergencies, and what to watch out for.
powered by
obesity matters

advertisement

advertisement

“there are lots of pearls of wisdom that i’ve picked up along the way such as using over-the-counter medications effectively, how to administer eyedrops easily and how to calm anxiety and distress.
“these are things i use or share every shift, so i think it’s important information to get out there.”

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.