Tips for your next emergency room visit

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- She's stable and getting treated, but when Loretta Gaines suffered an asthma attack she felt a great deal of panic and headed straight to the emergency room.

Gaines calmed herself down, and managed to communicate her distress.

"I just take a deep breath and take one minute at a time," Gaines said.

Staying calm is one tip experts recommend when visiting the emergency room. Patients are more likely to get their problems addressed faster if they don't lose their cool, said Ryan O'Connor, a physician at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.

"Certainly, if you're in pain or if your condition is getting worse while you're waiting, you can bring it to the attention of a nurse or someone at the triage window," O'Connor said.

If you have a heart disease or a chronic condition, like asthma, keep a list of medications you're taking on hand.

If you have kids, bring a book or favorite toy. Minor issues in children, such as an ear ache or cold, may not receive immediate attention.

O'Connor said that emergency rooms don't work on a first-come, first-serve basis. They operate on a triage system in which the sickest patients are treated first.

Another tip is to keep a positive attitude. It can help you conquer fear and frustration.

"People bear what burdens are given and a lot depends on how you look at yourself and how you handle yourself in the face of adversity," O'Connor said.

Most people don't have to end up in the emergency room to begin with, O'Connor said. He believes common sense, like wearing a seatbelt and avoiding risky behavior, could prevent numerous injuries.

"When accidents do happen, we are here in the emergency room to care of you," O'Connor said.