4 of 5

Write now Article Tools

Under staffing of emergency rooms is only one of the many contributing factors towards the success vs. failure rates of emergency departments nation wide. Shortages of nurses and doctors alike heavily strain the already limited resources available for quality emergency care.
With high volumes of patients inundating emergency departments in both urban and rural areas, the key contributing factor towards success vs. failure rates, time, is heavily compromised. It is important to remember that emergency rooms specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute illnesses and injuries; though, an alarming number of people utilize emergency department services as a convenient after hours quick stop for little Johnny's sore throat and numerous other non emergent aliments. The astounding number of these types of patients tax emergency department staff of not only their time but also energy and skill. Thus, leaving less time and a weary staff available to care for the truly emergent patients.

True emergencies come with their own attached time clock that is set for sixty minutes.This clock will begin ticking at the time of injury or onset of life-threatening illness. These sixty minutes are known as an emergency patient's "Golden Hour". These precious minutes are all there are available for the patient to receive EMS care, transport, ER assessment, diagnosis, and definitive care. Does that mean that patients will die if not definitively treated within the golden hour? No, not necessarily, but their prognosis greatly diminishes and death becomes an even greater possibility. No one can control time just like no one can control extended response times of EMS. Simply stated time is an uncontrollable circumstance.
On the other hand, emergency department overcrowding by non emergency patients is not only controllable but can easily be prevented. Dividing an emergency department into two separate entities, one for non emergencies and one for emergencies, will make available the care that is needed on both sides of the spectrum. Emergency department staffs are teams and thereby, only as strong as their weakest link. Do emergency departments fail at their tasks? Yes. Can failures be prevented? Yes. Who is at fault for failures? Well in many ways all of us are partially to blame. How many of us have been on vacation and become ill? I believe most of us have run into this situation at least once and have had to seek medical care in the local emergency department for an illness that is far from an emergency, but more of an inconvenience. Thus adding to the overly busy patient volume and taking away much needed time, care , and man power from the true emergency patients. Let's face it, some patients die in our nations emergency rooms and very few of those die from careless mistakes. Fund raising efforts and proactive discussion with your local hospital administration can prove to be ingredients for an emergency department's success.

Learn more about this author, Nick Bennett.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Testimonies: The failure of medical emergency rooms?
We want to hear your view. Write now!