How much time do you have to get the pt. to the admitting unit?

GM2RN · May 28, 2011

Funny, my daughter was in the ED last year and they came in before 6:30 am and told me they were admitting her. We finally got in a room at 6:30PM that night. It was the longest day for her sitting on the gurney in the ED just waiting for a room. I understood the issue (needed a private room/tele floor-H1N1 related) but it didn't make it any easier. Up on the floor, I would rather get my admission earlier in the shift and get them settled rather than have them come up at 6-6:30 when we are winding down and getting ready for shift change. The only thing that really bugs me is that at times we get them up on the floor, all settled and then get a call to send them right down to xray, CT, or someplace like that. UGGH

Why are they going right back down for xray or CT? Is it because they have been in the ED so long that a scheduled CT is now due?

GM2RN · May 28, 2011

I work at two hospitals. One has a policy of 30 minutes or less for a room assignment from the time of an admit order, and then 30 minutes from the room assignment to floor admission. It's my job to assign the beds, and the only time it takes longer than a few minutes is when patients have to be moved and then rooms cleaned. The ED almost never gets the patient to the floor within 30 minutes because they have to wait for the docs to write orders.

The other hospital where I work (somewhat smaller than the first) has a goal of a room assignment within 30 minutes of the floor being notified that a room is needed. More often than not it takes longer than 30 minutes to get the room assignment. I don't know if there is a specific goal time for door to admission for the docs. I do know that the nurses have no specific goal time to get patients to the floor once a room is assigned. But we are reminded on a regular basis that it should happen as soon as possible.

julesjmf · May 31, 2011

Our goal is 45 minutes for admits -- and to be honest I'm not sure if this goal is from the time that they are put in for a bed assignment or just once they have the bed assignment I just treat it like it's the time from the bed assignment because the first is just totally out of my control.

It's a lot easier to do in less than 45 minutes, though, if you know they're being admitted and have been waiting on a bed for a bit because you can get everything ready except calling report. It's a little different when things are busy and a patient who you think is probably going to be discharged is suddenly being admitted and randomly there is actually a bed available -- then you have to scramble to get everything together (we have a checklist of things we have to do before a patient can go up to the floor).