kevinsmithrn

Thank You very much for your input. This issues / experiences you bring up seem to be common across most facilities. The everyday routine handoff communication typically done by phone is more than just a report of the patients condition it is an official notification of the handoff of responsibility for the patient. Therefore it seems any system or protocol must involve a verbal notification that the patient is both in and oriented to room and that the sending nurse is available if floor nurse has any questions. With that understood does that notification have to come from a nurse? - Could the coordination of the patient travel post admit orders be run by some other traffic cop? I really like and agree that with our EMR's and digital orders the 10 minute report is excessive and quite a waste of time. It is a difficult problem to solve. Thank you again for your inputs I wish all of you the best. Kevin

Hello, I am researching various methods of improving and expediting the transfer of patients from the Emergency Department to Med/Surg. My question is does anybody's facility use a patient handoff system that does not involve direct initial contact between the ED nurse and the MS nurse BEFORE the admitted patient is transfered into his/her room. For example: In my facility once the patient is admiited to the floor and a room assignment is made the ED nurse makes a call to the MS nurse or Clinical Coordinator on MS and gives report, then the patient is transfered upstairs by a patient care tech or transporter and placed in room at which point the MS nurse assumes responsibility. This is the way its been done is most facilities for many years - however it does have limitations such as you require two of the busiest nurses in the hospital (ER nurses and MS nurses) to physically come to phone and give/take report before the patient is transported. This often causes delay in moving the patient - which results in numerous undesirable consequences not the least of which is patient satisfaction etc. If your facility does something different would you be so kind as to reply here and decribe your process. Thanks Kevin