Alternative to shouting a name

[heavydmg]

Good afternoon everyone!

had a question for all of you ER nurses out there. How do you call up a patient from the waiting room? We currently have a split waiting room with 2 sides. What we find is our ESC or CNA will walk to the split and shout a first and last name for the patient to come up and be seen. This is not only abrupt but also disruptive. I have been asked by our leadership to come up with ways we can avoid shouting for patients. a few notes i have thought of as well as assets we already have in the ED we could use.

1. buzzer style from the restaurant industry. When a patient is called the buzzer goes off. Problem with that is if the patient leaves or decides to "get back" at the hospital for long wait times they throw it away or simply walk out. Also no real ROI is attached to this so its hard to justify a cost.

2. number system. Having a number would work great but what you would find is a lot of jumping as higher acuity patients are seen before esi 3,4,5s This could potentially lead to altercations and a lot of questions.

3. Cell phone text messages. not everyone has a cell phone. (we have a high homeless population) also not everyone is checking it all the time. In our ER when you call the patient you want them NOW not in 5 minutes.

assets- We currently have a rotation of high school volunteers that walk around and try and stay on top of the patient locations.

I appreciate any suggestions and or stories you may have! thank you in advance!!!

[SouthpawRN]

I am Deaf so someone shouting my name, especially if I am not using my CI's is futile. I only wear them when I have to (AKA working). I really like the buzzer system, No system is going to be perfect...

[foragreatergood]

I think using a number would be best - but making it clear when the patient is assigned a number that it not sequential. So random numbers could be assigned - like 67, 4, 22, 952 - then patients would not correlate their number with the order in which they'd go back to a room.

We don't have a huge lobby, so we just call either a first OR last name.

[DayDreamin ER CRNP]

I think using a number would be best - but making it clear when the patient is assigned a number that it not sequential. So random numbers could be assigned - like 67, 4, 22, 952 - then patients would not correlate their number with the order in which they'd go back to a room.

We don't have a huge lobby, so we just call either a first OR last name.

A number system *might* work but you know someone will get the numbers upside down or some crap and get confused.

We are a huge ER with right at 100k visitors per year and also have 20-50 patients waiting in the lobby at times and calling the last name is still the most efficient way to get a pt.

I don't think the little pager things would work for us because we have so many that elope or LWOT. We would have to replace them every week!

I wish there were a better way but it is just impossible to manage that many people waiting.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I am Deaf so someone shouting my name, especially if I am not using my CI's is futile.

As a triage nurse, I would know to pass that information on to the charge nurse or whoever places the patients so we would be sure to retrieve you from the waiting room. :)

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I have worked in many ER's a randomized number system worked best and that was in an ER that saw over 140,000 patients a year. The numbers were given to the patient and also placed in the comment second on the EMR tracking board so the nurse or tech knew who to call. If there were any special circumstances that would hinder the patient or family hearing the number then that was noted in the comment and a description as well to find the patient.

You're going to have those that get upset when they see someone called back that came in after them no matter what system they use. It's not rocket science, you're sitting there waiting and you see someone come in and then see them called back before you. That's why you explain to them the way it works and they will either accept that or get upset, but a number system isn't going to determine that. Their feeling of entitlement will.