Improvise, Adapt, Overcome: ED Achievements
Some members of QCH’s hardworking ED team
The Emergency Department has shown tremendous strength and adaptability against the unique challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic. Despite high patient volumes and overworked, tired staff, the emergency department (ED) continues to make improvements for both patients and staff.
Inside the hospital, the ED will benefit from the redesign of Resuscitation, increased security, a paramedic pilot program, and improved efficiency.
ED team members working together
Some of the improvement projects underway include:
Resuscitation is an area within the ED where the most critically sick patients go. Its redesign will include a negative pressure room, which will filter out air particles, so patients and staff are not at risk for breathing in potentially infectious respiratory secretions. When this project is complete, it will mean better care for Covid positive patients and safer conditions for our staff and physicians.
ED has permanently added a 24/7 security guard, as their presence effectively reduces security risks. Staff can feel safer knowing someone is available to manage any security issues quickly.
The ED unit has a partnership with the paramedic service consistently staffing one paramedic 10 hours/day at the hospital, taking over as many as 3 patients from incoming ambulances. Instead of 2 paramedics waiting for a patient to be seen, the paramedic on duty will relieve them and monitor the patient. This alleviates any support that may be required from ED staff while allowing as many as 6 paramedics to get back on the road faster to help the next call.
Finally, the ED has developed "Let's C Patients," an initiative to improve the flow of the Cubicle C area. This area within the ED sees the most patients, as most are able to walk in for care. This initiative will have a positive impact on the number of patients we can see in Cubicle C as all opportunities are evaluated to further improve the time a patient receives care.
The goal is to decrease patients' length of time before seeing a physician and their overall stay. It will guide the ED on how to get patients in and out much faster safely and not have to come back for another assessment. This initiative is an effort to improve efficiency by adapting COVID- necessary processes and changing the function of some spaces.
If there’s anything to be learned from the pandemic, it’s that the only way through is together. With incredible resourcefulness and teamwork, the Emergency Department continues to save lives and shape their future.