Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the newly developed fast track (FT) area in a University-affiliated emergency department. The goals of the FT unit included reducing patients' length of stay, improving patients' satisfaction, and decreasing ED overcrowding. ⋯ Although the average time in room and overall length of stay did not meet expectations, patients did move more quickly through the department after the addition of the FT unit. Patient satisfaction data suggested that the FT staffed by NPs is a welcome addition to the emergency department. The findings provide direction for the future study of NP utilization in the emergency department.
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ED nursing shortages have been widely documented in the literature; however, there has been little exploration of the benefits of using Emergency Medical Technicians-Paramedics (EMT-Ps) in the recruitment and retention of experienced ED registered nurses (RNs). This article will discuss the functionality of EMT-Ps in the nontraditional emergency care setting and the impact of their utilization against a background of nursing shortages. The proposed benefit from use of EMT-Ps in the emergency department will most certainly be lost without the input from the bedside RN. ED RNs play an integral part in the decision making and evaluation of all nontraditional roles that effect their departmental staffing, and their involvement in the process is critical to its success.
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Patients seeking ED services require intensive interventions. Minimal literature exists on outcomes of mortality for ED patients admitted directly to ICU beds and outcomes of hospital stay. Wait times of the following interventions-time to first medication, first radiologic examination, first blood work, arrival in the emergency department to order for an ICU bed, and time of admission order to leaving the emergency department-were investigated for associations with hospital mortality. ⋯ Mortality rate was more likely to increase the longer it took to leave the emergency department after an admission order. Further study on timeliness of ED interventions related to hospital outcomes may provide the information to revise practice. Using a system-wide database interfaced with an in-hospital system would facilitate the ability to do outcomes research.
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With the current emphasis on credentialing in nursing, many nurses have committed to taking the CEN examination. The following questions have been developed to assist in emergency nursing knowledge assessment and in preparation for the CEN examination. Questions, rationale for the correct answers, and references are provided here for your self-evaluation. ENA has developed educational materials that can be used as further resources for CEN preparation: Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum and CEN Review Manual.