Transfers out of ICU

Specialties MICU

Published

I'm just curious if anyone's ICU requires transfers to MS or Tele be out of unit within a specific timeframe? There has been a push to get transfers out within an hour for the ICU where I currently work and sometimes it is not a safe situation. Administration does not seem to care about the staff's feelings and are more concerned with the numbers. For instance, one of our nurses had a patient with orders to transfer out of ICU and a room however, this same nurse had also just received a patient from the ER. While she was getting her patient from the ER settled management was asking why her other patient hadn't moved yet and if she called report. I'm just curious if this is the new trend in healthcare or if it is only our facility enforcing this. Any input is appreciated :happy:!!

smf0903

845 Posts

We try to be considerate of transfers out to the floor. I work nights so if we transfer the order generally comes in at shift change. Unless we're moving someone out in order to get a new admit, we try to hand onto the transfer until after med pass time, so that would be around 21:00-21:30 when we'd transfer. It really just depends on what's going on but sometimes it's just a crummy situation all the way around. We don't have any set time rule as far as "have to move out with x hours of order".

If management doesn't think the transfers are going fast enough, maybe instead of questioning why they should ask what they can do to help. I know, crazy idea! ;)

chare

4,232 Posts

Nor will they ever care about the staff's feelings . They should, however, care about facts; especially when presented as a patient safety concern. This is how I would have responded.

I am unable to safely transfer patient a at this time. I received patient b from the ED at (time). After receiving report the patient required (list interventions). I should be able to call report an transfer patient a in x minutes. If I call report now, would you be able to transfer the patient?

While this is not likely going to happen, you have put some responsibility for the transfer not happening back on the administrator.

Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

In order to satisfy throughput our target time is one hour from the moment the patient is assigned a bed. Obviously this doesn't always work out especially if the floor cannot take report, but our ICU has such high patient turnover that it is not uncommon to transfer 5 patients out and get 6-8 admissions.

Kareegasee

44 Posts

Specializes in SICU.

How does "staff's feelings" have anything to do with the necessary flow in and out of the ICU? Also, it's really not that difficult. My ICU requires them out asap, or ideally within 30 minutes. This is what you do: settle the new ED patient. Take 2 minutes and call the receiving RN of the transferring patient and give a report, allow for questions. Have your charge nurse coordinate the transfer of the patient, and an available nurse technician complete the transfer. An ICU nurse always needs to remain flexible and capable of meeting the demands of the unit.

Specializes in CRNA.

45 minutes from the time of bed assignment to out the door. Our charge nursr will help us get them out along with a tech if we are super busy with our other patient or receiving an admit. Our charge nurses are good about not putting someone with an admit and transfer together for this reason but it can happen at times.

Specializes in SICU,CTICU,PACU.

i will add that it also depends on what is going on. where i work we try to transfer patients out in 1 hour but sometimes that is not feasible. if your unit needs that bed then you better getting moving quickly so you can accommodate the ICU patient waiting to come in. also if the unit where you are sending the patient is hectic and your unit is not then maybe you can wait and give the receiving unit time to settle their floor down before sending them another patient.

ca_clementine

23 Posts

Yes, our hospital policy is to get the patient out onto his/her new unit within one hour.

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