A night in the life of the ED
Teamwork drives the UH emergency room
Like a colorful swarm of bees, staff and faculty in the Emergency Department bounce from computer to patient, phone to room and back in a flurry of activity that would be hard for any casual observer to fathom. But beneath the buzz are carefully orchestrated and highly skilled teams delivering needed services and providing expert care to an average 206 patients each day.
“As a tertiary care facility and level-one trauma center, we are called upon to provide expert care under any circumstance,” says Jennifer Gegenheimer-Holmes, director of ED operations. “Patients aged 1 to 100 present with conditions ranging from sniffles to massive strokes or multiple traumas. It’s the ED staff’s flexibility, compassion and boundless clinical expertise that make this a top-notch department.”
The ED staff is divided into three teams: the “Maize” and “Blue” teams in the adult care areas, and the Children’s Emergency Services team in pediatrics. This model enhances communication and encourages collaboration between nurses, techs, clerks and doctors. Dozens of other staff members support their work, too—numbering up to 70 per shift. To help patients and colleagues easily identify who’s who and to ensure security, the ED staff wear scrubs color-coded to their roles:
- White coats: Doctors, physician’s assistants
- Blue: Nurses
- Olive green: Emergency technicians (paramedics)
- Burgundy: Clerks
- Purple: Unit hosts
- Beige: Registrars
- Mint: CT and radiology technicians
Behind the scenes, two communications specialists take dispatches from police and ambulances to alert staff of approaching patients and activate Survival Flight, if needed. Social workers address the needs of patients and liaise between medical staff and families. Environmental Services staff routinely clear out trash bins, clean spills and collect linens. Two security officers stand guard to assist patients getting out of their cars and attend the occasional combative patient. And a house manager works with the charge nurse and others to find beds for an average of 76 patients who need to be admitted daily.
“To watch our team in action is amazing and inspiring. We have an incredibly talented and committed staff who come together every day to face the challenge of high acuity and volume,” says Gegenheimer-Holmes.
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