New protocol - No report from ER to floor...

[justjRN]

I work med surg and our hospital recently started new protocol that ER does not call report to floor patient is being admitted to. We are told we will be getting ER patient such and such and what they are generally being admitted for and to expect them within 10 minutes of notification they are coming. We are to look up any other info (our entire report basically). It sucks for us and it sucks for the poor patient who has questions etc when they get to the floor and we know nothing yet as it usually takes about a good 15 mins UNINTERRUPTED (which is nearly impossible as we are working short most times anyway) at a computer looking up history, labs, notes ,iv's, meds given in ER, new orders etc to put together why they are there/plan. Many of us have complained how unsafe it is and even many near misses that have happened because of it. But of course.. it falls on deaf ears. I was told it's understandable but they don't see it changing anytime soon...?!

So- I wanted to vent and to also see if this is the process anywhere else out there?

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Years ago, when I still worked in the hospital, and we tried the no verbal report, one evening we got the first one, and that was our only empty bed. We got the report, knew where to put the patient, no issues. Admissions forgot to select the bed as full. Within 15 minutes, we got 2 other patients for the same bed because ER never called house sup or admissions. They saw an empty bed and sent them up-2 different nurses on different ends of the ER not communicating. As we weren't notified (house sup always notified prior to faxed report), we weren't watching fax machine. ER tried to make this ICUs fault when the poo hit the fan ?. Sadly, things like this happened more than once. After a year of the nonsense, after many patient complaints, it stopped. They did mandate verbal report, and it was mandated that someone took report or made provisions within 10 minutes. Sometimes it was the house sup taking report if something drastic going on

[selshark16, BSN, RN]

Yeah this is my hospital too. I think this protocol is very widespread or at least becoming that way. At my hospital they only call and give report if they are extremely complicated and/or acute situations. It's definitely rough sometimes, especially when it is a complicated patient, unfortunately. They'll call to say if its OK to send and say they're sending, but the worst is when there is no communication and they just send. But as someone mentioned, the ED is different and I know sometimes they pressure nurses to send as soon as possible which isn't safe for anyone

[Guest219794]

18 hours ago, selshark16 said:

Yeah this is my hospital too. I think this protocol is very widespread or at least becoming that way. At my hospital they only call and give report if they are extremely complicated and/or acute situations. It's definitely rough sometimes, especially when it is a complicated patient, unfortunately. They'll call to say if its OK to send and say they're sending, but the worst is when there is no communication and they just send. But as someone mentioned, the ED is different and I know sometimes they pressure nurses to send as soon as possible which isn't safe for anyone

Actually sending promptly does increase safety for those who are then able to get in and be seen.

I am glad to hear from so many on the floor. This should be a collaborative effort, instead is being thrust upon inpt units. It seems like it would make sense for in patient units to take initiative to speed up the admission process to keep it safe, rather than wait till a breaking point and having a new system forced into place.

As an ER nurse, I feel your pain. One of the reasons I left ICU was the admission process.