ED management : the monthly update on emergency department management
-
Lean manufacturing techniques, first developed by Toyota, can be successfully adapted to help improve processes in your ED. St. ⋯ Lean tools enable you to view the status of your department in real-time and to compare that status with your performance goals. Exercises help identify areas where your processes break down and determine the most likely solutions.
-
One viable option for reducing the stress on an overburdened ED is the leasing of a mobile unit. For a relatively modest cost, it can be used as a fast-track department, as the ED at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson, WV, is doing. ⋯ The mobile care unit has four beds and also is equipped with computers, a medication dispensing system, and monitors to view digital X-rays. The triage nurse determines whether a patient goes to the mobile unit or the main ED.
-
While a new study indicates there may be twice as many elderly patients visiting your ED in 2013 as there were in 2003, there are steps to minimize the amount of time they spend in your department. Develop a list of outpatient links to home health agencies, visiting nurse organizations, care centers, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. ⋯ Make sure your staff are aware of the unique presentations seen in the elderly. This will help speed diagnosis and care.
-
In a hospital ED in Rhode Island, a 96-year-old patient was robbed of her jewelry while she rested in her room. The thief was dressed in scrubs. ⋯ If your staff see a strangely dressed person or someone who looks lost or like they don't fit in, they should question them about their identity. Create protocols for the removal and safekeeping of patients' jewelry that cover several different scenarios.