Back to Search
Start Over
The Discharge Lounge: A Patient Flow Process Solution.
The Discharge Lounge: A Patient Flow Process Solution.
- Source :
-
Journal of nursing care quality [J Nurs Care Qual] 2020 Jul/Sep; Vol. 35 (3), pp. 240-244. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Background: Patient flow, from emergency department admission through to discharge, influences hospital overcrowding. We aimed to improve patient flow by increasing discharge lounge (DL) usage.<br />Local Problem: Patients need to receive a continuum of nursing care to encourage compliance with follow-up care after discharge from the acute care setting.<br />Methods: Baseline data revealed inefficient use of the DL. We targeted the medical-surgical unit with the lowest DL use and trialed interventions over sequential Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles.<br />Interventions: After surveying the nursing staff, we assessed the influence of 3 interventions on DL usage: educating staff on patient eligibility, engaging a recruitment scout, and displaying a visual cue notifying staff when a patient's discharge order was written.<br />Results: The unit's average DL use increased from 18% to 36%, while hospital overcrowding and discharge turnaround time decreased.<br />Conclusion: The DL is an effective tool to improve patient flow and decrease hospital overcrowding.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1550-5065
- Volume :
- 35
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of nursing care quality
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32433147
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000469