ED Management articles from March 2002

ED Management archives from March 2002

Reports say diversion on the rise: use technology to overhaul patient flow: make smart use of cutting-edge tracking systems.
March 1, 2002... Executive Summary Your patient flow can be dramatically improved with electronic patient tracking systems that give information in real time. * If ED staff can spot delays at a glance, steps can be taken to correct the root of the...

Goal: patient upstairs in fewer than 60 minutes.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... At Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ, ED staff set an ambitious goal: to reduce admission cycle time to fewer than 60 minutes. According to Linda Kosnik, RN, MSN, CS, the ED's chief nursing officer, the following steps were taken to achieve...

Here's what ED staff can see at a glance.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, an ED "dashboard" (see example, p. 29) is visible to all staff responsible for patient flow. Here is an explanation of what the screen depicts: * TID = length of time the patient has been...

Improve care of kids with pediatric coordinator.
March 1, 2002... Executive Summary New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians recommend having physician and nurse pediatric coordinators to improve the care of children in the ED. * The role...

ED's disaster plan uses incident command system.
March 1, 2002... [Editor's note: This is the first in an ongoing series profiling EDs that have updated their disaster plans in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. If you'd like to share the changes that you've made to your disaster plan, contact: Staci...

Emtala Q & A.(Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... [Editor's note: This column is part of an ongoing series that will address reader questions about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). If you have a question you'd like answered, contact Staci Kusterbeck, Editor, ED...

Assessment of family-centered care policies and practices for pediatric patients in nine U.S. emergency departments. (Journal Review).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eckle N, MacLean SL. Assessment of family-centered care policies and practices for pediatric patients in nine U.S. emergency departments. J Emerg Nurs 2001;27:238-245. Although all EDs assessed in this survey demonstrated some integration...

CE/CME questions.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... (Editor's note: Please use the enclosed scantron to answer the CE/CME questions that have been enclosed in the issues beginning in October 2001 and ending with this issue. Also, please fill out the enclosed CE or CME survey. Use the enclosed...

Sample computer screen.
March 1, 2002... [GRAPHICS OMITTED] This slide represents a snapshot in time of the ED at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ, showing the following information: * arrivals to the ED; * cycle time: treatment area arrival to start nurse evaluation; ...

Checklist for suspected child abuse.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 1. Suspected Child Abuse form completed -- 2. Department of Justice (DOJ) 900 Physical Assessment Form completed -- 3. Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) telephone call documented Time and operator name -- (LA County...