Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
-
Patient experience ratings are important to health care organizations from both a clinical and financial perspective. Studies examining the relationship between patient experience and nurse staffing are prevalent in the inpatient setting, but not as much is known about how staffing affects these ratings in the emergency department. ⋯ Higher levels of ED RNs may enable nurses to better meet the expectations of patients presenting to the emergency department, highlighting a number of opportunities for allocating nursing resources.
-
The opioid crisis continues to take an unprecedented number of lives and is the top cause of injury death in the United States. The emergency department is a setting where patients with pain seek care and may be prescribed an opioid, yet many patients do not receive evidence-based education about taking their opioid safely. Like many communities across the country, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has experienced an increased rate of opioid overdoses; from 2015-2016, the number of opioid-related overdose deaths in the county increased by 44%. ⋯ Improving the delivery of opioid prescription education at emergency department discharge will enhance patient knowledge and promote safety, which may help mitigate the opioid crisis by reducing the rate of opioid use disorder and accidental overdoses.