Australasian emergency nursing journal : AENJ
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Nov 2015
The effect of a staged, emergency department specific rapid response system on reporting of clinical deterioration.
Despite emerging evidence regarding clinical deterioration in emergency department (ED) patients, the widespread uptake of rapid response systems (RRS) in EDs has been limited. ⋯ A staged ED specific RRS decreased the frequency of unreported clinical deterioration. Controlled multi-site studies of ED specific RRSs are needed to examine the effect of formal ED RRSs on patient outcomes.
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Nov 2015
The lived experiences of patients and ambulance ramping in a regional Australian emergency department: An interpretive phenomenology study.
Internationally, the workload of emergency departments (ED) has increased, resulting in overcrowding and frequent delays in the offloading of patients arriving via ambulance--referred to in Australia as 'ambulance ramping'. ⋯ In light of the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, service improvement opportunities exist for patients arriving to the ED by ambulance to ensure delays are minimised and quality care is delivered.
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Nov 2015
The accuracy and consistency of rural, remote and outpost triage nurse decision making in one Western Australia Country Health Service Region.
The Australasian Triage Scale aims to ensure that the triage category allocated, reflects the urgency with which the patient needs medical assistance. This is dependent on triage nurse accuracy in decision making. The Australasian Triage Scale also aims to facilitate triage decision consistency between individuals and organisations. Various studies have explored the accuracy and consistency of triage decisions throughout Australia, yet no studies have specifically focussed on triage decision making in rural health services. Further, no standard has been identified by which accuracy or consistency should be measured. Australian emergency departments are measured against a set of standard performance indicators, including time from triage to patient review, and patient length of stay. There are currently no performance indicators for triage consistency. ⋯ A standard definition of accuracy and consistency in triage nurse decision making is required. Inaccurate triage decisions can result in increased morbidity and mortality. It is recommended that emergency department performance indicator thresholds be utilised as a benchmark for national triage consistency.