Accident and Emergency
Overview
The Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) is a special facility within Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja that specializes in providing emergency medical and surgical care to patient and staff. The facility provides acute care for patient present without prior appointment; either by their own means or by that of an ambulance.
The Department provides initial treatment for a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening and required immediate attention.
The Department has become an important entry point for patient to access service in the hospital as they are reviewed and attended to by the specialist teams in the department after initial management by the casualty officers.
The A&E is located in its own section within the hospital premises, with its own dedicated entrance.
History
Since the hospital became fully functional as a tertiary health institution following the conversion from a General Hospital to a Federal Medical Centre, the A&E department has evolved to become a pinnacle of emergency healthcare delivery in Kogi state and indeed the North- Centre part of the country. in the recent past, it has been headed by consultant Orthopaedic surgeons in the person of Dr. S.O David (FWACS) Dr. Mohammed Abdulmalik A. (FMCS Ortho.) and Dr. Nnemeka Nwafulume (FWACS) Consultant General Surgeon
Structures
- Ward
- Consulting room
- Call Rooms
- Pharmacy
- Nursing Desk
- Side Lab
- Store
- Seminar Hall
- Lavatories
Personnel
The staff of the Department includes 8 Medical Officers of different cadre and 2 residents from General Surgery who are currently rotating through A&E Posting. 18 Nurses of which 11 have specialized training in emergency Room Care, Pharmacists and a peri-operative nurse (attached to the theatre), Hospital attendants, medical records, ICT staff in order to provide optimal service. The nursing section in the department is under the leadership of two experienced Nurses, Akuboh Paul Moh’d and Sandra Oluwashola. The department is presently headed by Dr. Elaigwu Onuche a principal medical officer.
Staff
The staff of the Department includes 8 Medical Officers of different cadre and 2 residents from General Surgery who are currently rotating through A&E Posting. 18 Nurses of which 11 have specialized training in emergency Room Care, Pharmacists and a peri-operative nurse (attached to the theatre), Hospital attendants, medical records, ICT staff in order to provide optimal service. The nursing section in the department is under the leadership of two experienced Nurses, Akuboh Paul Moh’d and Sandra Oluwashola. The department is presently headed by Dr. Elaigwu Onuche a principal medical officer.
Services
The following functions are executed by department:
Triage:
As patients can present at any time and with any complaint, a key part of the operation of the department is the prioritization of cases based on clinical need. This process, called triage, is normally the first stage the patient passes through and consists of a brief assessment, including a set of vital signs, and the assignment of “presenting Complaint” (e.g. chest pain, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, etc.).
There is a dedicated area for this process to take place. This role is fulfilled by a triage nurse, although other health care professionals like paramedics or physicians may perform the triage sorting.
Most patients may complete their treatment at the triage stage, for instance if the condition is very minor and can be treated quickly, if only advice is required, or if the emergency department is not a suitable point of care for the patient. conversely, patients with evidently serious conditions, such as cardiac arrest, will bypass triage altogether and move straight to the appropriate part of the department Patients are not expected to be on admission in A &E beyond 48 hours.
Resuscitation:
Resuscitation is done for seriously ill or injured patients, with equipment and staff required for dealing with immediately life- threatening illnesses and injuries. These services are rendered by physicians and nurses with trauma and advanced cardiac life support training.
For mass causality, adjunct teams including medical and surgical residents get involved in resuscitation procedures and hands- on emergency care.
Coverage
The department operates 24 hours everyday.
Contact
Head of Department
Dr. Elaigwu Onuche
HOD, Accident and Emergency