This is a picture of a patient laying in a er hospital bed. with three nurses and a doctor standing around the patient

Emergency Department: Physician Staffed 24/7

Franklin Hospital is a stroke-ready hospital ready to treat your acute and emergent needs. Our Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, always staffed by a physician, and connected with other tertiary facilities. We provide patient transfer service through our affiliation with Air Evac Lifeteam and ARCH Air Medical Services Inc. and ambulance service through Abbott EMS and the West Frankfort Fire Department.

When should you go to the Emergency Department?

Heart attack symptoms:
    Women are less likely to have the stereotypical chest, left arm, or jaw pain. Be sure you look for other symptoms, such as:
    • Shortness of breath
    • Sudden dizziness, weakness, or nausea
    • Unexplained sweating and fatigue


Stroke symptoms:
    • Sudden numbness or weakness in a limb or one side of your face.
    • Sudden speech difficulties (talking gibberish or jumbling words)
    • Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.
    • Unexpected dizziness or loss of balance.
    • An excruciating, inexplicable headache.
Stroke patients are transferred to St. Louis, Mt. Vernon, Carbondale, or Evansville, Ind.

Head Injury/Trauma
    A head injury that results in loss of consciousness, a seizure, or vomiting (especially if you vomit more than once), even if it happens a few hours after the injury. Trauma patients are stabilized and transferred to nearby trauma centers.

Loss of consciousness/fainting
    These symptoms could signal a heart or circulation problem or even a stroke. There's no way to determine the cause on your own.

Possible broken bone
    Broken bone indicators include a joint or limb that looks drastically distorted or out of place, swelling and bruising, and the inability to bear weight. (If you suspect it might just be a sprain or dislocation, call your doctor.)

Bleeding
    Bleeding that doesn't stop when you apply pressure for 10 to 20 minutes, any wound that impairs your ability to function, or a gaping wound that fully penetrates the skin.

Sudden disorientation or confusion
    Examples include not knowing where you are, speech difficulty, or sudden memory loss. This could be a sign of stroke, seizure, dehydration, or other significant problems.

Serious burn
    Any burn that covers an area larger than 2 or 3 inches, goes all the way around an area like the wrist, breaks the outer layer of skin, or causes numbness.

Vomiting/Diarrhea
    Vomiting that makes it impossible to keep fluids down or diarrhea that keeps you in the bathroom can quickly lead to rapid dehydration.

Severe pain
    Severe pain that begins halfway down your back on either side of your spine could signal a kidney stone or infection. Any severe abdominal pain also warrants immediate attention. Ectopic pregnancy, appendicitis, and gallstones are a few possible causes.

Bite or puncture wound
    You may need antibiotics or a tetanus shot. If the wound is jagged, please report it to the Emergency Department.

Unexplained fever
    A fever above 105 degrees warrants an immediate visit to the Emergency Department.

For more information, contact Emergency Department Director Tina Bymaster, RN at (618) 435-9640 or via email tina.bymaster@franklinhospital.net.