THE HSE issued an urgent warning over emergency department wait times as they shared under what circumstances and best time to go. The health chiefs issued the warning after many patients rushed to the emergency departments instead of the correct facilities to visit as A&E is being swarmed with patients. Taking to social media , they said: "Watch this video to find out about the Emergency Department, how it works and what to expect.
" The video demonstrates the process of how the Emergency Department operates and the reason why wait times are long. Patients arriving at the emergency department will be asked some simple questions as they register for assistance. These questions ask if the patient had any transmissible diseases or illnesses recently that could easily be passed on to others, such as COVID-19 .
They will also be asked if they have any vaccinations for protection against illnesses such as COVID-19 or any type of flu. The health officials urged people to tell the nurses if they have recently received any treatment in a hospital or healthcare setting outside of Ireland to get a fair understanding of their condition. The video raised awareness that some of the staff at the department will be wearing face masks and protective clothing to protect the patients and staff.
Patients are welcome to wear a face mask when visiting the emergency department and there will be times that a member of staff will ask the patient to wear a face mask, which is provided by the healthcar.