Date of Award

Fall 11-16-2024

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

First Advisor

Mary Brann

Second Advisor

Sotera Delos Santos

Abstract

Emergency departments (EDs) often experience prolonged waiting times, leading to patient dissatisfaction and potential negative health outcomes. This project addresses the need for improved triage processes to enhance patient flow and reduce delays in care.

PICOT

In adult patients presenting to the emergency department (P), how does the implementation of a streamlined triage process (I) compared to standard emergency department protocols (C) lead to a reduction in waiting times (O) within a twelve-week period (T)?

Evidence

A review of current literature indicated that streamlined triage systems can significantly decrease patient wait times and improve overall ED efficiency by incorporating colors to denote acuity classes, resulting in expedited care delivery and decrease overall ED length of stay.

Intervention

The intervention involved the implementation of a streamlined triage protocol that utilized a rapid assessment tool to categorize patients based on the urgency of their medical needs, thereby facilitating quicker decision-making and resource allocation.

Outcome

The result did not demonstrate statistically significant changes in waiting times within the initial timeframe. However, the clinical significance of the practice change is evident through qualitative feedback from patients and staff members.

Conclusion

Although the results of this DNP project did not show statistically significant changes, the qualitative feedback from patients and staff highlighted the clinical significance of the practice change. This feedback underscores the positive impact of the streamlined triage system on patient experience and staff workflow, suggesting that while quantitative metrics may not have shifted dramatically, the intervention fostered a more efficient and satisfactory environment for both patients and healthcare providers. Future efforts should focus on continued evaluation and potential modifications to further enhance the effectiveness of the triage system and its impact on waiting times.

Comments

Scholarly project submitted to the University of St. Augustine for Health Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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