Our Staff

Medical coverage for the department is provided by specially trained and experienced physicians. We have a specialty trained Emergency Medicine Physician in the department 24 hours a day. A second Emergency Medicine physician is in the ER from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. We also have a Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) from 8 a.m. - 3 a.m. to assist in evaluating and treating the less complicated / less urgent cases.

Physician assistants (PAs) are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, and assist in surgery. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. In the state of Indiana, PAs are not able to write prescriptions. Therefore, if the PA is sending you home with a prescription, you can expect to see the name of the physician he/she consulted with on the prescription you receive from the pharmacy.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide much of the same care provided by physicians and usually maintain close working relationships with physicians. Demographically, nurse practitioners are mostly female. An NP can serve as a patient's regular health care provider and see patients of all ages. The core philosophy of the field is individualized care. Nurse practitioners focus on patients' conditions as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families. NPs make prevention, wellness, and patient education priorities. This can mean fewer prescriptions and less expensive treatments. Informing patients about their health care and encouraging them to participate in decisions are central to the care provided by NPs. In addition to health care services, NPs conduct research and are often active in patient advocacy activities. NPs usually work autonomously and are able to open their own clinical practices. In the state of Indiana, NPs may prescribe medications.

Besides the ER medical staff, the care in the department is provided by staff well prepared to address the types of cases seen in the ER. Our patient care staff is comprised of RNs, Paramedics, LPNs, Emergency Care Assistants, ER Tech, and ER Secretaries.The department has a Clinical Educator to assist in the orientation of new personnel, and to keep the staff informed of changes and new trends in Emergency Care. Staffing of the department is arranged to provide safe care and meet the various needs of the population served.