• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

SafePath nurse simplifies patient transfers

Nurse Leader Weekly, March 17, 2008

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Nurse Leader Weekly!

Traffic inside the med-surg floor at Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City, OK, is flowing much faster thanks to the addition of a single nurse. The nurse in the new role, termed the 'SafePath' nurse, focuses only on patient admissions and discharges, thus speeding up patient flow. The addition of the SafePath nurse to the staff at Mercy Health Center is lightening the stress level for everyone during the transfer process from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) to the floor.

Quicker admissions, discharges, and increased patient satisfaction and safety are all perks of this new position. In between admissions and discharges, the SafePath nurse checks to see that necessary equipment is ready and what beds are available for patients. During downtime, the SafePath nurse is available to talk to patients to provide patient education and ensure patient satisfaction.

Since the adoption of the SafePath nurse in November of 2006, the time it takes to complete med-surg unit discharges has dropped by about two hours, and the average time of discharge is now 11 a.m. instead of 1 p.m. And more importantly, because the Safe Path nurse is on hand, patients and families are being informed of any progress.

Source: Nurse.com

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Nurse Leader Weekly!

• Comment
• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive

Comments