Emergency Department Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to help provide a safe environment of care for staff and patients in the Emergency Department and includes tools specific for this department to help reduce risk and improve patient care while taking into account current regulations and national best practice guidelines. In addition, information from experts is offered to address the escalating issue of violence in the ED.

Process Improvement In the ED

The ED is the point of entry into an organization for many patients. Ensuring the safety of patients begins where ever the patient presents and often times quality initiatives base timing of critical care from the patient's point of entry. Information and sample tools to help improve internal processes and compliance with national quality measures are assembled in this section.

  • Flyer/Sign/Poster

    Flyer/Sign/Poster

    Physician Reference Severe Sepsis Bundle Pocket Card

    Quick reference pocket card to help remind staff physicians of the timeliness of the sepsis bundle interventions.

    TAGS: Interventions, Pocket, Sepsis, timeliness

  • Flyer/Sign/Poster

    Flyer/Sign/Poster

    Two-Sided Badge Card

    Quick reference badge card to help remind staff of the timeliness of the sepsis bundle interventions.

    TAGS: Badge, Sepsis, bundle, Interventions

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Improving Patient Flow and Reducing Emergency Department Crowding: A Guide for Hospitals

    An AHRQ Guide to improving patient flow and ED overcrowding in hospitals. This guide is a performance improvement tool to direct you through the organization of your team, identification of strategies and implementing change to improve patient safety.

    TAGS: AHRQ, Educate, overcrowding, hospitals, Team

Patient Safety In the ED

The ED is typically a fast-paced, high-stress clinical environment with a wide range of conditions being treated among a variety of age groups at any given time. Resources in this category are designed to support risk reduction efforts related to unique ED department concerns.

  • Addressing Alarm Problems in the Emergency Department

    This resource provides tools to address alarm safety in the ED.

    TAGS: Tools, Resources, Educate

  • ACLS Medical Training

    Resource provides training for healthcare providers responding to life-threatening emergencies.

    TAGS: Healthcare, Life, Threatening, Emergencies, Training

  • Assessment tools

    Assessment tools

    ED Discharge Risk Assessment

    Discharging a patient from the emergency department at a hospital is a complex process that has many challenges. This risk assessment makes sure all the processes are met to prevent readmissions or adverse events after discharge.

    TAGS: Emergency, Department, Readmissions

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Medication Safety in the ED

Attention to medication safety is of the utmost importance in the ED due to the variety of patient conditions and age groups being treated. Resources are provided to address safe use of medication, as well as moderate and conscious sedation in the ED.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    LSBN Statute on Moderate or Conscious Sedation

    A statement from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing addressing the scope of practice in nursing regarding the practice of administering medication and monitoring patients during the levels of intravenous procedural/conscious sedation.

    TAGS: Louisiana, State, board, nursing, administering, Medication

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    CMS Hospital CoP Anesthesia Guidelines 2018

    A presentation addressing the most recent guidelines in anesthesia administration as set forth by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

    TAGS: Center, Medicare, Medicaid, Services, Anesthesia, Administration

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Regulatory and Compliance in the ED

This section contains information related to regulations and compliance issues that may impact the ED.

  • Policy Templates

    Policy Templates

    Louisiana Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (LaPost)

    Best practice resource for patients with advanced illnesses and healthcare issues to state their preferences for end of life treatment.

    TAGS: illnesses, State, Treatment, Healthcare

  • EMTALA

    Resource for information regarding the Federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.

    TAGS: federal, Emergency, Medical, Treatment, labor, act

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Emergency Preparedness in the ED

The ED plays an important role in an organization's interdisciplinary emergency preparedness plan. Resources in this section are provided to support the ED's unique role in emergency preparedness.

  • Guidelines/Recommendations

    Guidelines/Recommendations

    Standardized Hospital Emergency Codes State of Louisiana

    A quick tool outlining standardized emergency codes in the state of Louisiana adopted by the Louisiana Policy and Regulatory Committee in 2005.

    TAGS: Louisiana, Policy, regulatory, committee, 2005

  • Articles

    Articles

    2016 Violence in the ED - Norris Yarbrough and Sgt. Roger Barnes

    Violence in the Emergency Department: The Magnitude and Impact

    Norris and Roger discuss the magnitude of the problem, protecting patients, the staff and the public in the hospital emergency department; and how emergency department staff should deal with potentially violent individuals.

    TAGS: Violence, Educate, Interactive, Emergency

  • Articles

    Articles

    2016 Violence in the ED - Panel of Experts

    Violence in the Emergency Department: Panel of Experts

    This session will build the Violence in the ED: The Magnitude and Impact conversation. Their discussion is based on results of a recent survey that was conducted across the membership of the LHA Trust Funds and will be further augmented with open-mic questions and concerns from the members of the audience.

    Topics include: Violence and Victims, The Aggressors and Causes, Triggers, Real-Time Experiences, The Aftermath, and Prevention.

    TAGS: Emergency, Department, Violence, Aggressors, Causes, Triggers, Aftermath, Prevention