Doireann Deay , Orla O’Keefe , Mary Byrne , Barry McBrien , Aileen McCabe
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Emergency Departments (EDs) globally face persistent challenges, including overcrowding and workforce shortages, which negatively impact care quality and efficiency. Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) have demonstrated value in improving patient satisfaction, reducing wait times, and delivering cost-effective care. In Ireland, the ANP role is well-defined and regulated, supporting autonomous clinical practice.
Local problem
At Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), a significant proportion of ED presentations—abdominal pain, and chest pain was found to consume disproportionate clinical hours. A new ANP-led Emergency Rapid Assessment and Treatment (ERAT) service was introduced to target these low-acuity, high-contact-hour cohorts and alleviate ED pressures.
Method
This service evaluation, conducted between September 2022 and April 2025, assessed ERAT’s feasibility, safety, impact on ED process times, and patient satisfaction.
Results
ERAT managed 2,518 patients, with no major adverse events or in-hospital deaths. Most patients (1,766, 74.8 %) were safely discharged. While overall ED length of stay did not differ, ERAT patients had significantly shorter clinician-to-discharge times (5.9 vs. 8.9 h, p < 0.05). Of the 56 abdominopelvic CT scans ordered, 42 scans (75 %) showed acute pathology. Eighty of the 85 (94.1 %) patients who completed a patient satisfaction questionnaire reported strong agreement that care met their expectations.
Conclusion
The ERAT service is a feasible, safe, and patient-centred model for managing targeted ED presentations. Findings support ANP-led services as an effective strategy to enhance ED efficiency, optimize care delivery, and improve patient satisfaction in acute care settings.
期刊介绍:
International Emergency Nursing is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to nurses and other professionals involved in emergency care. It aims to promote excellence through dissemination of high quality research findings, specialist knowledge and discussion of professional issues that reflect the diversity of this field. With an international readership and authorship, it provides a platform for practitioners worldwide to communicate and enhance the evidence-base of emergency care.
The journal publishes a broad range of papers, from personal reflection to primary research findings, created by first-time through to reputable authors from a number of disciplines. It brings together research from practice, education, theory, and operational management, relevant to all levels of staff working in emergency care settings worldwide.