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Emergency departments are for conditions that threaten life, limb or organ function. Knowing which is which saves you a long wait — and keeps the resuscitation bay free for those who need it.
Go to the emergency department immediately for
- Chest pain, pressure or heaviness, particularly with sweating or breathlessness
- Sudden weakness of the face or a limb, or slurred speech
- Difficulty breathing, or breathlessness at rest
- Uncontrolled bleeding, or any injury after a road traffic accident
- Seizures, fainting or an inability to wake someone
- Severe abdominal pain with vomiting, fever or a rigid abdomen
- Poisoning, snake bite, or overdose
- Burns larger than the patient's palm, or any burn to face, hands or genitals
- Fever in an infant under three months, or any child who is drowsy or floppy
- Bleeding in pregnancy, or reduced foetal movements
OPD or a same-week appointment is appropriate for
- Fever for one to two days in an otherwise well adult
- Long-standing joint or back pain without weakness
- Routine medication refills and chronic disease follow-up
- Skin rashes without fever or blistering
- Mild cough and cold
- Reviewing reports from an earlier visit
- Health check-ups and vaccination
How triage works, and why someone who came after you was seen first
Emergency departments do not work first-come-first-served. Every patient is assessed on arrival and assigned a priority based on how quickly their condition could deteriorate. A patient with chest pain who arrives after you will be taken in before you if your problem is stable — not because of influence or payment, but because the clock is running differently for them.
If your condition changes while you are waiting — new breathlessness, worsening pain, fainting, or a child becoming drowsy — tell the triage nurse straight away. Reassessment is always available.
What to bring
- Current medicines, or photographs of the strips
- Previous discharge summaries, ECGs and scan reports
- Insurance card, if applicable
- One identity proof
- A responsible adult attendant who knows the medical history
Worth knowing
If the situation is genuinely critical, come first and bring documents later. Nobody is turned away for missing paperwork.
Key takeaways
- Emergency care is for threats to life, limb or organ function — everything else is safer and faster in OPD.
- Triage prioritises by severity, not arrival time.
- Report any deterioration while waiting; you will be reassessed.
- Carry medicines, previous reports and insurance details whenever possible.
A note on medical advice
This article is general health education written and reviewed by the Department of Emergency Medicine at SIMS. It is not a substitute for an examination, a diagnosis or the advice of your own treating doctor, and it cannot account for your history, medicines or reports. If a symptom is sudden or severe — chest pain, stroke symptoms, breathing difficulty, serious injury, seizures or heavy bleeding — call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department instead of reading further.
EmergencyTriagePatient guide