Implementation of a model of emergency care in an Australian hospital
Tracey Millichamp Clinical nurse consultant, emergency, Caboolture Hospital, Queensland, Australia
Shannon Bakon Lecturer, nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Caboolture campus, Queensland, Australia
Martin Christensen Associate professor, Queensland University of Technology, Caboolture Campus, Queensland, Australia
Kate Stock Clinical nurse educator, emergency, Tweed Hospital, Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
Sarah Howarth Patient safety and quality clinical nurse consultant, Logan Hospital, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia
Aim Emergency departments are characterised by a fast-paced, quick turnover and high acuity workload, therefore appropriate staffing is vital to ensure positive patient outcomes. Models of care are frameworks in which safe and effective patient-to-nurse ratios can be ensured. The aim of this study was to implement a supportive and transparent model of emergency nursing care that provides structure – regardless of nursing staff profile, business or other demands; improvement to nursing workloads; and promotes individual responsibility and accountability for patient care.
Method A convergent parallel mixed-method approach was used. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data used a thematic analysis to identify recurrent themes.
Results Data post-implementation of the model of emergency nursing care indicate improved staff satisfaction in relation to workload, patient care and support structures.
Conclusion The development and implementation of a model of care in an emergency department improved staff workload and staff’s perception of their ability to provide care.
Emergency Nurse.
25, 7, 35-42.
doi: 10.7748/en.2017.e1741
Correspondence
shannon.bakon@qut.edu.au
Peer review
This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Conflict of interest
None declared
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Received: 29 May 2017
Accepted: 05 July 2017
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