Geriatric Emergency Nurse Initiative
We are pleased to announce a new initiative being launched in the Emergency Department at St. Paul's Hospital. The Geriatric Emergency Nurse initiative is one of a number of regional projects being initiated to improve health outcomes for seniors as part of Vancouver Coastal Health's "Frail Senior Initiative." It will roll-out at St. Paul's on October 16, 2006, with plans to do the same at a later date at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. This type of program has been successfully implemented at other hospitals in this region and beyond.
Three Geriatric Emergency Nurses have been recruited to work at St. Paul's Emergency Department seven days a week for twelve-hour shifts.
Planning for this new delivery model of care is a collaboration between PHC's Elder Care and Emergency Departments. We are confident this initiative will provide both immediate relief and sustained improvement in the ED and residential settings.
Three Geriatric Emergency Nurses have been recruited to work at St. Paul's Emergency Department seven days a week for twelve-hour shifts.
Planning for this new delivery model of care is a collaboration between PHC's Elder Care and Emergency Departments. We are confident this initiative will provide both immediate relief and sustained improvement in the ED and residential settings.
The goals of this are project to:
Successes of this project will be measured by the following outcomes:
The ED staff and physicians at St. Paul's and Mount Saint Joseph hospitals and Elder care team are skilled in providing care of the highest standards, and are committed to treating all patients as quickly and effectively as possible.
As identified in the 2005-2008 PHC Strategic Plan, providing excellent care and service is achieved by improving patient flow and access. Likewise, ensuring rapid access to the right care in the right location to the right person is a top priority. A primary objective of the plan is to improve patient flow in the ED while providing overall improved access to hospital inpatient beds for those patients that need them most. Improving patient flow will see a positive impact on client care and staff satisfaction, help to alleviate some of the workplace challenges of working in the ED, and promote an enhanced quality of work life for our caregivers.
- Decrease residential care admission rates from acute care
- Ensure the appropriate use of emergency departments and inpatient beds by seniors by facilitating timely and appropriate discharge to the community with necessary supports
- Improve the satisfaction of seniors, their families and care providers
- Identify gaps in services for seniors care
Successes of this project will be measured by the following outcomes:
- Decreased residential care admission rate for seniors from PHC's acute care
- Decreased length of stay in emergency for seniors discharged to their home
- Reduction in numbers of admissions to acute care due to early intervention
- Decreased acute care length of stay by one day for seniors who have been admitted through the ED
- Decreased alternate levels of care days for seniors being transferred to residential care
- Reduce the need for repeat emergency visits by seniors
- Increased satisfaction for seniors, family members and providers
- Improvements identified in areas within acute, community and primary care where resources/services will be enhanced to better meet the needs of seniors.
The ED staff and physicians at St. Paul's and Mount Saint Joseph hospitals and Elder care team are skilled in providing care of the highest standards, and are committed to treating all patients as quickly and effectively as possible.
As identified in the 2005-2008 PHC Strategic Plan, providing excellent care and service is achieved by improving patient flow and access. Likewise, ensuring rapid access to the right care in the right location to the right person is a top priority. A primary objective of the plan is to improve patient flow in the ED while providing overall improved access to hospital inpatient beds for those patients that need them most. Improving patient flow will see a positive impact on client care and staff satisfaction, help to alleviate some of the workplace challenges of working in the ED, and promote an enhanced quality of work life for our caregivers.