Adverse Events in Emergency Department Boarding: A Systematic Review

The scope of emergency nursing viewed through the lens of complex adaptive systems: A discussion paper

Across the world, emergency department nurses care for patients around the clock all year long. They perform tasks ranging from direct nursing care to managing patient flow, working in an environment characterised by interdependencies among numerous actors. The complex context in which emergency nurses operate has not been thoroughly described or discussed, indicating a knowledge gap. Hence, the aim of this discussion paper is to describe and discuss nursing in the emergency department and the connection between patient flow and nursing care, drawing on the concept of complex adaptive systems. The acts of direct patient care and patient flow, when viewed through the lens of complex adaptive systems, are central components of emergency nursing. Through a stepwise description of these two perspectives, based on literature and clinical experience from European countries, the paper illustrates the complexity of the emergency nursing context in a novel manner. We argue that direct patient care and patient flow, combined as patient flow management, constitute essential parts of the core of emergency department nursing. Further studies are needed to challenge or confirm this assertion.

Implementation of the admission transfer unit to reduce emergency department boarding: A quality improvement initiative

Emergency Department (ED) boarding crowds the emergency department, strains resources, leads to higher hospital costs, and is associated with increased morbidity/mortality, a negative patient experience, and patient adverse events. The time Ontario patients wait in emergency departments for inpatient beds continues to rise, with the average time admitted patients spend in the ED increasing between 2015 and 2019 from 13.8 hours to 16.2 hours. As reported in this quality improvement initiative, one potential solution is to repurpose short-stay medical assessment units for complex admitted medicine patients using an objective patient selection tool. Objectively selecting admitted ED patients with the highest risk for adverse events and prioritizing them to move to a transitional unit advances safe quality patient care and decreases Time-to-Inpatient Bed (TIB). Results from this quality improvement initiative include reducing the organization's TIB by 13 hours.

Being a patient in a crowded emergency department: a qualitative service evaluation

BACKGROUND

Emergency department (ED) crowding causes increased mortality. Professionals working in crowded departments feel unable to provide high-quality care and are predisposed to burnout. Awareness of the impact on patients, however, is limited to metrics and surveys rather than understanding perspectives. This project investigated patients' experiences and identified mitigating interventions.

METHODS

A qualitative service evaluation was undertaken in a large UK ED. Adults were recruited during periods of high occupancy or delayed transfers. Semi-structured interviews explored experience during these attendances. Participants shared potential mitigating interventions. Analysis was based on the interpretative phenomenological approach. Verbatim transcripts were read, checked for accuracy, re-read and discussed during interviewer debriefing. Reflections about positionality informed the interpretative process.

RESULTS

Seven patients and three accompanying partners participated. They were aged 24-87 with characteristics representing the catchment population. Participants' experiences were characterised by 'loss of autonomy', 'unmet expectations' and 'vulnerability'. Potential mitigating interventions centred around information provision and better identification of existing ED facilities for personal needs.

CONCLUSION

Participants attending a crowded ED experienced uncertainty, helplessness and discomfort. Recommendations included process and environmental orientation.

Effects of emergency department length of stay on inpatient utilization and mortality

INTRODUCTION

The annual increase in emergency department (ED) visits in Taiwan has led to overcrowding in major hospitals and extended patient stays in the ED. International studies suggest that prolonged ED stays may influence healthcare costs and clinical outcomes for hospitalized patients. However, such investigations are scarce in Taiwan. This study aims to explore the effects of ED stay duration on inpatient medical utilization and mortality risk.

METHODS

This study analyzed data from 42,139 patients at a central Taiwan medical center, using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to evaluate hospital stay duration and costs. Logistic regression assessed mortality risks after hospitalization.

RESULTS

GEE analysis showed longer ED stays led to increased hospital stays: patients with 24-48 h in the ED had an additional 2.27 days (P < 0.001), and those with ≥ 48 h had an additional 3.22 days (P < 0.001). Logistic regression indicated higher mortality risks for patients with 24-48 h (OR = 1.73, P < 0.001) and ≥ 48 h (OR = 2.23, P < 0.001) in the ED compared to those with ≤ 2 h. Conversely, longer ED stays were associated with lower hospitalization costs; patients with ≥ 48 h in the ED incurred $1,211 less in costs compared to those with ≤ 2 h (P < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed that longer ED stays were linked to higher mortality risks, with patients staying 24-48 h in the ED showing an OR of 1.726 (P < 0.001) and those with ≥ 48 h an OR of 2.225 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Prolonged ED stays are associated with longer hospital stays, higher mortality risks, and lower hospitalization costs due to resource consumption in the ED. These findings highlight the need for strategies to reduce ED stay durations to improve patient outcomes and optimize resource use.

Hospital Boarding Creates Critical Shortcomings in Disaster Preparedness

Hospital patient boarding in emergency departments has reached unprecedented crisis levels over the past 4 years. Boarding and crowding has been demonstrated by prior literature to have adverse effects on patient care as well as increased associated costs. Importantly, the increase in hospital patient boarding has created critical shortcomings in disaster preparedness by limiting the capacity of emergency departments to respond to mass casualty incidents due to space and staffing constraints. Multiple concurrent threats exacerbate these challenges, including increases in the incidence of both natural and unnatural disasters over the past decade and decreases in the numbers of US hospitals, hospital beds, and employed healthcare staff. "Emergency department boarding" must also be renamed "hospital boarding" given that the fundamental challenge lies with hospital and health system leadership and does not stem from emergency departments. In this commentary, the authors share a call to action to increase support and funding for research to alleviate the demands of hospital boarding, greater recognition among hospital leadership of the threat that hospital boarding poses to disaster scenarios, and widespread development of hospital-based, regional plans for mass casualty incident response that are more effective in the context of excessive boarding.

Healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety in European emergency departments: a comparative analysis of survey results

Patient safety is a significant concern worldwide. The Emergency Departments (EDs) are vulnerable to adverse events. Europe, with its diverse healthcare systems, differs in patient safety. This study aimed to identify safety challenges through a comparative analysis of healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety in European EDs. In early 2023, a validated questionnaire was distributed to European ED professionals, meeting specific response rate criteria. The questionnaire included five safety domains and additional questions about infection control and team morale, with 36 ordinal scale questions. Responses ranged in five levels from "Never" to "Always," and the scores were summed to calculate the total safety score (TSS). The study examined the impact of per capita healthcare expenditure on safety perceptions using descriptive statistics, correlation assessments and SPSS 17 used for the analysis. The analysis of 1048 valid responses from 24 European countries revealed significant variability in safety perceptions. Teamwork scored highest, signifying effective collaboration. Common safety issues included overcrowding, patient flow management, understaffing, limited training and facilities for mental illnesses. TSS showed correlation with team morale and infection control, but no correlation with per capita healthcare expenditure. This comparative study underlines the disparities in patient safety perceptions across European EDs. Each country displayed unique safety concerns. Safety perceptions did not align with per capita healthcare expenditure, indicating that addressing ED safety needs multifaceted strategies. Policymakers can leverage these findings to inform strategic planning, encouraging targeted interventions to enhance patient safety at both the national and European levels.

Impact of emergency department length of stay on in-hospital mortality: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Emergency Department (ED) workload may lead to ED crowding and increased ED length of stay (LOS). ED crowding has been shown to be associated with adverse events and increasing mortality. We hypothesised that ED-LOS is associated with mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between ED-LOS and in-hospital mortality.

DESIGN

Observational retrospective cohort study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

From 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2018, all visits by patients aged 15 or older to one of the two ED at Toulouse University Hospital were screened. Patients admitted to the hospital after ED visits were included. Visits followed by ED discharge, in-ED death or transfer to ICU or another hospital were not included.

OUTCOME MEASURE AND ANALYSIS

The primary outcome was 30-day in-hospital mortality. ED-LOS was defined as time from ED registration to inpatient admission. ED-LOS was categorised according to quartiles [<303 min (Q1), between 303 and 433 minutes (Q2), between 434 and 612 minutes (Q3) and >612 min (Q4)]. A multivariable logistic regression tested the association between ED-LOS and in-hospital mortality.

MAIN RESULTS

A total of 49 913 patients were admitted to our hospital after ED visits and included in the study. ED-LOS was not independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Compared to ED-LOS < 303 min (Q1, reference), odd-ratios (OR) [95% CI] of in-hospital mortality for Q2, Q3, and Q4 were respectively 0.872 [0.747-1.017], 0.906 [0.777-1.056], and 1.137 [0.985-1.312]. Factors associated to in-hospital mortality were: aged over 75 years (OR [95% CI] = 4.3 [3.8-4.9]), Charlson Comorbidity Index score > 1 (OR [95% CI] = 1.3 [1.1-1.5], and 2.2 [1.9-2.5] for scores 2 and ≥ 3 respectively), high acuity at triage (OR [95% CI] = 3.9 [3.5-4.4]), ED visit at Hospital 1 (OR [95% CI] = 1.6 [1.4-1.7]), and illness diagnosis compared to trauma (OR [95% CI] = 2.1 [1.7-2.6]). Night-time arrival was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality (OR [95% CI] = 0.852 [0.767-0.947]).

CONCLUSION

In this retrospective cohort study, there was no independent association between ED-LOS before admission to general non-ICU wards and in-patient mortality.

'Corridor care' in the emergency department: managing patient care in non-clinical areas safely and efficiently

Overcrowding in the emergency department (ED) is a significant issue and often leads to nursing care being delivered in areas not intended for clinical use, a practice commonly referred to as 'corridor care'. Delivering care in non-clinical areas negatively affects patient safety and poses unique professional challenges for emergency nurses while also reducing their well-being. To end - or at least reduce - corridor care, system-level interventions are needed. In the meantime, there are practical solutions that can be implemented at an individual and departmental level to mitigate some of the risks associated with it. This article discusses a pragmatic approach to patient care, and explores opportunities for nurses to mitigate risks and enhance safety and efficiency, in overcrowded EDs.

Emergency department crowding: an overview of reviews describing measures causes, and harms

Crowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) has emerged as a global public health crisis. Current literature has identified causes and the potential harms of crowding in recent years. The way crowding is measured has also been the source of emerging literature and debate. We aimed to synthesize the current literature of the causes, harms, and measures of crowding in emergency departments around the world. The review is guided by the current PRIOR statement, and involved Pubmed, Medline, and Embase searches for eligible systematic reviews. A risk of bias and quality assessment were performed for each review, and the results were synthesized into a narrative overview. A total of 13 systematic reviews were identified, each targeting the measures, causes, and harms of crowding in global emergency departments. Key among the results is that the measures of crowding were heterogeneous, even in geographically proximate areas, and that temporal measures are being utilized more frequently. It was identified that many measures are associated with crowding, and the literature would benefit from standardization of these metrics to promote improvement efforts and the generalization of research conclusions. The major causes of crowding were grouped into patient, staff, and system-level factors; with the most important factor identified as outpatient boarding. The harms of crowding, impacting patients, healthcare staff, and healthcare spending, highlight the importance of addressing crowding. This overview was intended to synthesize the current literature on crowding for relevant stakeholders, to assist with advocacy and solution-based decision making.

The Long Tail of COVID-19: Implications for the Future of Emergency Nursing

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 has led to exacerbated levels of traumatic stress and moral distress experienced by emergency nurses. This study contributes to understanding the perspectives of emergency nurses' perception of psychological trauma during COVID-19 and protective mechanisms used to build resilience.

METHOD

The primary method was qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews, with survey data on general resilience, moral resilience, and traumatic stress used to triangulate and understand qualitative findings. Analyses and theme development were guided by social identity theory and informed by the middle range theory of nurses' psychological trauma.

RESULTS

A total of 14 emergency nurses were interviewed, 11 from one site and 3 from the other. Almost all nurses described working in an emergency department throughout the pandemic as extraordinarily stressful, morally injurious, and exhausting at multiple levels. Although the source of stressors changed throughout the pandemic, the culmination of continued stress, moral injury, and emotional and physical exhaustion almost always exceeded their ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in health care created by the pandemic. Two primary themes were identified: losing identity as a nurse and hopelessness and self-preservation.

DISCUSSION

The consequences of the pandemic on nurses are likely to be long lasting. Nurses need to mend and rebuild their identity as a nurse. The solutions are not quick fixes but rather will require fundamental changes in the profession, health care organizations, and the society. These changes will require a strategic vision, sustained commitment, and leadership to accomplish.

A Novel Orderset Driven Emergency Department Atrial Fibrillation Algorithm to Increase Discharge and Risk-appropriate Anticoagulation

INTRODUCTION

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are frequently admitted from the emergency department (ED), and when discharged, are not reliably prescribed indicated anticoagulation. We report the impact of a novel computerized ED AF pathway orderset on discharge rate and risk-appropriate anticoagulation in patients with primary AF.

METHODS

The orderset included options for rate and rhythm control of primary AF, structured risk assessment for thrombotic complications, recommendations for anticoagulation as appropriate, and follow up with an electrophysiologist. All patients discharged from the ED in whom the AF orderset was utilized over an 18-month period comprised the primary study population. The primary outcome was the rate of appropriate anticoagulation or not according to confirmed CHADS-VASC and HASBLED scores. Additionally, the percentage of primary AF patients discharged directly from the ED was compared in the 18-month periods before and after introduction of the orderset.

RESULTS

A total of 56 patients, average age 57.8 years and average initial heart rate 126 beats/minute, were included in the primary analysis. All 56 (100%; 95% confidence interval, 94-100) received guideline-concordant anticoagulation. The discharge rates in the pre- and postorderset implementation periods were 29% and 41%, respectively (95% confidence interval for 12% difference, 5-18).

CONCLUSIONS

Our novel AF pathway orderset was associated with 100% guideline-concordant anticoagulation in patients discharged from the ED. Availability of the orderset was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of ED AF patients discharged.

Protocolos de triagem avançada no serviço de emergência: revisão sistemática e metanálise

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of using advanced triage protocols on the length of stay, safety and satisfaction of the patients and professionals in the emergency department.

Method

A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials included in the Embase, BVS, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library databases and in the gray literature, using Review Manager 5.4. Studies that analyzed length of stay in their outcomes were included and the studies excluded were those that considered other triage protocols.

Results

26,672 peer-reviewed studies were found and ten were included in the meta-analysis. For the patients’ length of stay, seven studies were included in the meta-analysis (n=8,229), showing a 36-minute reduction (-0.36[-0.55;-0.17] p=0.002), a result with low certainty of evidence, favorable to the intervention, varying between -0.53 (-0.81;- 0.25) and -0.29 (-0.50;-0.07) in the analysis of the subgroups. Regarding the exams requested, five studies were included (n=2,270), indicating that there is no significant difference between the groups (odds ratio 0.94 [0.64;1.38]). Four studies (n=6,094) analyzed the patients’ and the professionals’ satisfaction, indicating a favorable result to the intervention.

Conclusion

The advanced triage protocol reduced length of stay in the emergency room without compromising care safety and quality, although more randomized clinical studies on the theme are needed. Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019142640).