Pediatric emergency department throughput improvement with the workflow redesign

Purpose of the Project: The purpose of this project was to improvement ED throughput in the pediatric ED by implementing an ED throughput nurse. ED length of stay (EDLOS), door-to-provider (DTP) times and staff satisfaction were measured. Methodology: The EDLOS and DTP times were retrieved from the EPIC documentation system and analyzed via SPSS v. 28. A staff satisfaction survey was formulated via SurveyMonkey and sent to the work email of all ED staff. Physicians, residents, nurses and nursing assistants were all asked to participate in the survey. Survey results were analyzed via SurveyMonkey. Results: Post-intervention there was a decrease in EDLOS for treated and released (M= 660.84, SD = 18.38; Z = -10.9, p < .001) but an increase amongst admitted patients (M = 787.32, SD = 36.73; Z = -.84, p = .404). The DTP times for treated and released patients (M = 50.38, SD = .57; Z = -10.91, p <.001) and admitted patients (M = 37.60, SD = 1.25; Z = --4.13, p < .001) both decreased post-intervention. There were 47 staff surveys submitted. The majority of responses indicated positive results and 77% of participants found the ED throughput nurse to be a beneficial role in the pediatric ED. Implications for Practice: The implementation of the ED throughput nurse is expected to improve ED throughput metrics, leading to a more efficient journey through the ED. Keywords: ED throughout, emergency department overcrowding, communication, communication amongst healthcare workers, nurse–physician communication and nursing.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference