One of the issues that emergency nurses will run in to will be overcrowding in the emergency department. In 2013, there was a study done on the relationship between emergency department (ED) crowding and patient outcomes (Bernstein et al., 2008). More and more individuals are using ED services. From 1999 to 2009 there was a 32% increase in visits to the ED. With this increase there was also a substantial increase in hospital admissions and ICU admissions, indicating that there was an increase in acutely ill patients that sought care in the ED. The increase in acute patients and the lack in hospital capacity for these admissions only adds to the problem of overcrowding.
This study is a systematic review conducted to examine the relationship between emergency department crowding and patient outcomes. The authors looked at research from 2002 through 2012 that pertained …show more content…
Emergency nurses should be a voice for quality patient care and advocate that solutions be put in place to mitigate the negative effects crowding in the ED. They may be involved with investigating and implementing solutions. It may be that they advocate for the expansion of EDs and the adjustment of staffing ratios. In addition to these actions, extra care must be taken to provide accurate, timely care to all patients, even in high-pressure situations when the department is overcrowded. Knowing when to ask for help and how to help others is an important part of teamwork that allows a department to function efficiently. I personally want to be a nurse who works hard on my assigned patients so that I can be available, when time allows, to assist the nurses around me. I’ve seen firsthand the importance of teamwork in crowded EDs. It affects the quality of patient care in many ways. When a department is overcrowded, the doctors and nurses must rely on each other and take care to be attentive and sharp when providing care to the
This study is a systematic review conducted to examine the relationship between emergency department crowding and patient outcomes. The authors looked at research from 2002 through 2012 that pertained …show more content…
Emergency nurses should be a voice for quality patient care and advocate that solutions be put in place to mitigate the negative effects crowding in the ED. They may be involved with investigating and implementing solutions. It may be that they advocate for the expansion of EDs and the adjustment of staffing ratios. In addition to these actions, extra care must be taken to provide accurate, timely care to all patients, even in high-pressure situations when the department is overcrowded. Knowing when to ask for help and how to help others is an important part of teamwork that allows a department to function efficiently. I personally want to be a nurse who works hard on my assigned patients so that I can be available, when time allows, to assist the nurses around me. I’ve seen firsthand the importance of teamwork in crowded EDs. It affects the quality of patient care in many ways. When a department is overcrowded, the doctors and nurses must rely on each other and take care to be attentive and sharp when providing care to the