Emergency Department - Nomenclature in English

Nomenclature in English

Emergency department became the preferred term when emergency medicine was recognised as a medical speciality and hospitals and medical centres developed Departments of emergency medicine to provide services. Other common variations include 'emergency ward,' 'emergency centre' or 'emergency unit.'

Historic terminology still exists across the English-speaking world, especially in vernacular usage. The previously accepted formal term 'Accident and Emergency' or 'A&E' is still widely known in countries such as the United Kingdom and its former territories, as are earlier terms such as 'Casualty', or 'Casualty Ward' which continue to be used informally. The same applies to 'Emergency Room' or 'ER' in North America, originating when emergency facilities were provided in a single room of the hospital by the Department of Surgery.