Major Injuries

The Majors or general area is for stable patients with major illnesses and injuries who still need to be confined to bed (note that a "bed" in the ED context is almost always a gurney or trolley rather than a full hospital bed). This area is often very busy, filled with many patients with a wide range of medical and surgical problems. Many will require further investigation and possible admission. Examples of problems seen in this area include chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, abdominal pain and significant injuries. Patients are assessed by a team of doctors and may have a number of investigations performed including blood tests, x-rays and electrocardiographs. They may be referred to specialty teams for admission or may be discharged following treatment to their general practitioner.