Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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A 7.2% increase in patient volume from 130,700 to 140,800 in 2012 prompted St Joseph's Regional Medical Center Emergency Department to review existing triage processes to decrease turnaround time. "Pivot triage" is a new, efficient intake process that entails use of 4 rather than 8 determinants to identify acuity levels. The purpose of this performance improvement project was to create alternatives to traditional triage to decrease ED length of stay and door-to-physician time. ⋯ The pivot process is a viable alternative to traditional triage. Nurses are able to accurately pivot patients with a reduced amount of information.
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Veterans eligible for health care in the Veterans Administration (VA) health system often receive care in community emergency Departments. In line with initiatives from Joining Forces and the American Academy of Nursing, emergency departments have an opportunity to screen for veterans during routine ED visits and provide resource information regarding various VA services. ⋯ The addition of the mandatory question about military service to the EMR during the primary care assessment successfully identified veterans who presented for care in a community emergency department. Future initiatives should include automated processes to ensure that the Veteran Resource Guide is provided and to foster collaboration between community emergency departments and the VA.