Emergency Department Triage Protocols: Improving Length of Stay for the Low Acuity Patient
Date
2023-05
Authors
Daemen, Cynthia
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Abstract
Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding has been linked to a 45% increase in mortality, a 75% increase in poor quality of patient care, and 100% of patients reporting their condition was much worse (Badr et al., 2022). The purpose of this quality improvement project was to identify a way to improve (ED) length of stay (LOS) for low acuity patients. The triage area was identified as an area that could be changed and is the initial location for patients seeking care in the ED. A patient’s LOS can be affected by several factors such as, number of patients in the department, ED admission holds, and staffing census.
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to decrease LOS for Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level IV & V patients in this Level II 48 bed trauma facility by implementing an educational initiative for ED nurses to increase the use of existing triage protocols.
Description
Keywords
quality improvement, emergency department, triage, protocol, low-acuity, Nursing
Citation
Daemen, C. (2023). Emergency department triage protocols: Improving length of stay for the low acuity patient. St. David's School of Nursing, Texas State University.