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News - St Bernard Hospital, Chicago Illinois USA |
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| St Bernard Hospital |
| ER handles volume in stride |
| Date : - 24/09/2009 |
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It’s not everyday that you go to the office and find a man storming into the room claiming, quite accurately, that he’s been shot in the head. While the sublime usually takes a backseat to conditions comparably humdrum, this is the life in the Emergency Department.
On an average day, between 100 and 120 patients visit the ED, and so far this calendar year, St. Bernard’s ED has seen some eye-popping census peaks topping out at well over 3000 visitors per month early in 2009.
We saw violence increasing earlier in the year than usual,” according to Yolanda Penny, Emergency Nurse Manager. “The trends are changing. We could see a gunshot wound on a Sunday morning now, not just the typical Friday night.”
These fluctuating trends keep the ED on their toes at all times, and all indications suggest that the staff is meeting the challenge admirably. Bypass hours (when the facility diverts critical EMS patients) have decreased by 39%, and the percentage of patients who leave the ED without being treated has fallen 3%.
One factor relating to enhanced efficiency is a Lean Management model. This communal approach regularly gathers ED staff, administration, and other hospital officials to discuss potential areas of improvement in the department. As a result, the hospital has added an additional nurse at peak periods, and newly equipped patient rooms allow increased time for nurses to spend in each room with the patient. The ED has also established an “OB Alert” to address pending deliveries before they leave the ED.
These swift accomplishments can be attributed to a remarkable sense of comradery and teamwork among the ED staff.
“It’s a very team-oriented setting,” says Ms. Penny, who oversees almost eighty ED staff members. “Everyone is accountable as a team, and no one feels alone. They have each other to rely on.”
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| Reference : - www.stbernardhospital.com |
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