Emergency Services
Under the leadership of Medical Director James Martin, MD, FACEP and the Clinical Director of Nursing for the Emergency Department, Karen Beinhaur, MS, RN, CEN, St. Joseph Hospital offers Emergency Services in Nashua, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to patients within southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts.
The hospital also provides Emergency Services in Milford at the Milford Medical Center. The Emergency Departments at both locations provide comprehensive, quality care for patients with various symptoms, illnesses and injuries, including those that require immediate attention, such as symptoms of a life-threatening heart attack or stroke.
Milford Medical Center, located on the west end of route 101A/Nashua Street in Milford, is the only state designated free-standing Emergency Department. Its hours of operation are 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, 365 days of the year. It offers walk-in care for minor emergencies as well as the initial diagnosis, treatment, stabilization and transfer of the more seriously ill or injured persons. It offers laboratory and x-ray services for its emergency patients as well as for outpatient studies.
Trauma
In addition, St. Joseph Hospital has been a state-designated trauma facility for many years. The trauma team includes multidisciplinary members from more than 12 different departments, who are required to respond to "Trauma Team Activations" in the Emergency Department. General surgeons, in collaboration with emergency physicians, coordinate care of the trauma patient. Other specialists are also available for consultation when required so that patients can receive the care they need as quickly as possible.
Experienced nurses, who are also a very important part of the trauma team, receive specialized training in the care of trauma patients. Besides physicians and nurses who see trauma patients in the Emergency Department, other team members include:
Continuity of Care
From the Emergency Department, patients may be taken to the Operating Room, Intensive Care Unit, or the appropriate Medical-Surgical floor for continued care, or may be sent home if well enough. Continuity of care is provided for those who need acute rehabilitative services on our Rehabilitation Center, where they will have access to specialists in physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as the latest technologies in rehabilitative medicine.
Private Family Room
Family and loved ones are treated with care and compassion as they wait in a private waiting room for information about patients. Spiritual care providers are available to stay with families to answer any questions and to assist in providing updated information on patients' status.
EMS/Trauma Services
EMS/Trauma Services provides a critical interface with pre-hospital providers, hospital departments, and community businesses. St. Joseph Hospital is the medical resource facility for 11 emergency ambulance and fire services that provide emergency medical services (EMS) to our communities. These pre-hospital providers are integral to the care of all patients who are transported to the hospital by ambulance.
Training programs offered:
- Emergency Medical Technician training (Paramedic, Intermediate, Basic levels)
- Workplace first aid
- CPR/AED training
- Community-oriented health and medical education