Emergency Care

Ridgecrest’s Close to Home Resource for High-Quality Emergency Services

Ridgecrest Regional Hospital’s Emergency Services is designed for treatment of acute medical and surgical emergencies and is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by emergency medicine physicians and nurses. If you live in the Southern Sierra region, our hospital is a close to home resource for comprehensive medical care from highly trained emergency professionals who utilize state-of-the-art technology. Time is of the essence in an emergency, and you can count on our team to provide you or your loved one with the attentive care you need during this stressful situation.

If a condition arises suddenly and you believe that a life is in jeopardy, CALL 9-1-1.

Emergency Services patients have prioritized care depending on the severity of their symptoms. A triage nurse determines the acuteness of the patient’s problem and coordinates the order for treatment, providing immediate care to critically ill or injured patients and efficient care to those less seriously ill.

We are a Level IV trauma center, as designated by the Kern County Public Health committee. Our Emergency Department is equipped to provide stabilization and advanced trauma life support for patients who have sustained serious injuries.

The RN staff is Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) trained.

When do I use Emergency Services?

Because emergency resources are limited, patients should only visit the ED when they are dealing with a true emergency. It can be hard to tell what’s an emergency in some cases, and you don’t want to take chances with your health. Generally, if you believe you are dealing with a life threatening situation then you should visit the emergency room. If you are sick or have a minor injury that you want treated right way, you should visit an Urgent Care center.

The following are examples of the conditions and symptoms for which you may need to access emergency services:

• Chest Pain or Pressure
• Uncontrolled Bleeding
• Sudden or Severe Pain
• Coughing or Vomiting Blood
• Large Open Wounds
• Changes in Mental Status
• Sudden Change in Vision
• Difficulty in Breathing
• Major Burns
• Sudden Dizziness / Weakness
• Severe Injuries
• Loss of Consciousness

For emergency diagnosis, the ED is equipped with:

• CT Scans
• X-Ray
• Ultrasound
• Laboratory
• Cardiology
• Respiratory Services