24/7 Emergency Care Services

When it comes to critical care, the hospital you choose is just as critical. Riverside Medical Center is rated in the top 10 percent in the nation for stroke care and received 11 total five-star Heathgrades ratings in critical care, orthopedics, cardiac and neurosciences.

Riverside Medical Center's Emergency Department (ED) is your family's source for urgent medical care, any time day or night. We have been designated by the State of Illinois as a Level II Trauma Center serving both adults and children of all ages who have medical, surgical or traumatic emergencies. As a member of the State of Illinois Trauma Center network, if a trauma patient requires services of a Tertiary Care Level I Trauma Center, we have the capability to expedite transfer as necessary via helicopter or ground ambulance.

The Riverside Emergency Department is supported by a Primary Stroke Center, a fully Accredited Chest Pain Center and full Heart Failure Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Our Trauma Team

The Trauma team at Riverside Medical Center consists of highly skilled professionals working together to provide treatment to all injured patients in a coordinated team approach that is regularly monitored.

• Surgeons
• ED Physicians
• Trauma Nurse Specialists
• Trauma Certified Nurses
• Sub-specialists
• Ancillary Staff

All ED Physicians are board-certified in Emergency Medicine. Our ED Nurses are highly trained and have certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and specialized certification in the management of trauma patients.

Certifications

Riverside's ER nurses can hold the following certifications to give you and your family the best care possible:

• BLS - Basic Life Support
• ACLS - Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
• PALS - Pediatric Life Support
• ENPC - Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course
• TNCC - Trauma Nurse Core Course
• TNS - Trauma Nurse Specialist
• SANE - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner

Riverside also has certified nurses who are nationally registered in:

• CEN - Certified Emergency Nurse
• TCRN - Trauma Certified Registered Nurse
• CCRN - Critical Care Registered Nurse
• CNL - Clinical Nurse Leader

Additionally, Riverside offers the following courses to nurses seeking their certifications - BLS, ACLS, PALS, ENPC, TNCC, SANE.

If you have any questions about emergency room nurse certifications at Riverside, please get in touch with the emergency department clinical educator at - (779) 701-3136.

Approved for Pediatrics

The ED has also been designated by the State of Illinois as an Emergency Department approved for Pediatrics. (EDAP) In order to obtain this designation, the hospital provides specialized pediatric staff training. They also have special pediatric resuscitation equipment and supplies in the ED as well as the Pediatric Unit. Finally, Riverside's ED is staffed 24/7 with Pediatric Hospitalists from the University of Chicago's Comer Children’s Hospital.

Community Trauma Prevention

As a Level II Trauma Center, Riverside is involved in Community Trauma Prevention services. Trauma is a leading cause of death of the young, and most injuries are preventable. Nurses from the ED conduct programs at local high schools that address these. ED Nurses along with staff from Riverside Ambulance, local fire departments and coroners, conduct reenactments of automobile crashes. The ED staff also teaches parents about other safety issues, including distracted driving, bleeding control, poison control, water safety and custom safety classes.

» Learn More About Riverside's Trauma Prevention Program

Disaster Preparedness

The Emergency Department at Riverside Medical Center has been designated by the State of Illinois as a Level II Trauma Center. We serve adults and children of all ages who have medical, surgical or traumatic emergencies.

Trauma Centers are uniquely positioned to respond to emergencies of mass scale when compared to general hospitals based on their resource availability, constant state of readiness, extra capacity and strong connections with the local and regional emergency care community. See everything we offer for disaster preparedness.

SANE Program

Sexual Assault is one of the most under-reported violent crimes in the US. If you or a loved one has been sexually assaulted, getting medical exam can help identify any injuries. Riverside's Emergency Department has a team of nurses who are specially trained in sexual assault examinations. A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is specifically prepared to care for sexual assault survivors and to look for signs of trauma and abuse. Their specialized training includes trauma-informed care, forensic evidence collection, and forensic photography.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please know that there is help
To contact or refer someone to the SANE program, please call

• Riverside Emergency Department (815) 935-7500
• SANE Program Coordinator (779) 701-2368