Designated Level III Trauma Center:

The Emergency Services department at Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center (WNJ) handles thousands of emergencies each year. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our team of physicians and nurses are ready to handle any critical situation within our full range of hospital specialties. WNJ is a designated Level III Trauma Center, which means we are recognized by the State of Texas as having met the highest standards for treatment, staff, and facilities.

WNJ Emergency Services Features:

  • Trauma Trained Emergency Physicians and Registered Nurses
  • 24/7 Trauma/General Surgeon Availability
  • 24/7 Orthopedic Surgeon Availability
  • 24/7 Radiology Diagnostic Availability
  • Neurosurgeon Availability
  • 24 Patient Care Rooms
  • 2 Trauma Rooms
  • 4 Fast Track Treatment Areas

Primary Stroke Center

WNJ is a Primary Stroke Center accredited by The Joint Commission. This means patients experiencing stroke symptoms receive swift, effective, and often life-saving treatment. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization, which accredits and certifies more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

Awards & Achievements

  • Certified Stroke Center (by The Joint Commission)
  • Designated Level III Trauma Center

What to Expect

We realize that seeking emergency services is stressful.  This information below will provide answers to some of your questions about triage and wait times.

What is triage?

Triage is a process used by emergency departments to rank patients based on the seriousness of their condition.

How does staff determine the order that patients are seen?

The triage nurse uses a three-level system to rank patients’ conditions:

  • Category 1: Emergent: Patients whose symptoms are severe, and without immediate medical attention, could result in loss of limbs or death.
  • Category 2: Urgent: Patients whose symptoms require prompt medical attention but are not likely to suffer the loss of limbs or life if medical care is not received for a short period of time.
  • Category 3: Non-urgent: Patients whose symptoms need a medical evaluation and treatment, but time is not a critical factor.

How long do I have to wait to be seen?

Wait times vary for each person depending on how serious their condition is, the category assigned by the triage nurse, and how many patients have more serious conditions.  Patients arriving by ambulance or walking into the emergency department may be seen before people who have been waiting if the physicians on the medical staff determine their conditions are more serious based on the above triage system.