Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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The study purpose was to obtain an understanding of both the types of questions mandated for the triage encounter in emergency departments across the United States and how emergency nurses perceive the relevance of these questions to the triage process. ⋯ The conflation of regulatory data collection with patient assessment at the initial triage encounter challenges the ability of the emergency nurse to rapidly and accurately identify patients at risk of deterioration. We recommend that initial triage processes encompass questions that focus on establishing the stability of the patient and the safety of the waiting room and include inquiry relevant to the patient presentation.
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According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, unfractionated heparin is a high-risk medication due to the potential for medication errors and adverse events. Unfractionated heparin is often started in the emergency department for patients with acute coronary syndromes or coagulopathies. Risk-mitigation strategies should be implemented to ensure appropriate initiation and monitoring of this high-risk medication. In 2019, an unfractionated heparin calculator was built into the electronic health record at a community medical center. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the calculator as a risk-mitigation strategy. ⋯ The use of the unfractionated heparin infusion calculator in the emergency department led to decrease in medication administration errors. This is the first study to evaluate the integration of an unfractionated heparin calculator into the electronic health record.
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Few studies have monitored health care worker mood and job satisfaction changes longitudinally throughout an epidemic. The objective of this study was to track staff mood, job satisfaction, questions, and suggestions in a pediatric emergency department over 1 year during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We hypothesized that staff would experience heightened negative emotions earlier in the pandemic due to uncertainty around hospital protocols and the coronavirus disease 2019 disease process. ⋯ An electronic survey monitoring mood, job satisfaction, and concerns in a pediatric emergency department identified mood changes in staff over the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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Emergency nurses play an important role in the early management of acute ischemic stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practice of emergency nurses in Beijing regarding the early management of acute ischemic stroke. ⋯ These findings may facilitate the implementation of education/training programs to improve the early management of acute ischemic stroke by nurses in emergency departments.
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This study aimed to identify the symptoms used to assess angina, determine how emergency nurses make triage decisions for potential acute coronary syndrome, and determine emergency nurses' initial actions. ⋯ Emergency nurses primarily used chest symptoms and health history when deciding to evaluate for acute coronary syndrome in the emergency department. Associated symptoms of diaphoresis, fatigue, and shortness of breath, along with health history, also contributed to decision making. Initial registered nurse actions were to obtain an electrocardiogram, prepare the patient for the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and notify the emergency physician of the patient's admission.