Frequently nursing home patients arrive at the Emergency Department with little or no information, especially if transfers occur after hours when most nursing home staff is unavailable. Here's what the came up with at UTMB:
In the University of Texas Medical Branch hospital ER, the geriatric
clinical nurse specialist and the emergency room clinical nurse
specialist collaborated to develop a one-page “Resident Transfer Form”
(Figure). The form, which the NH nurse can fill out quickly during an
emergency, provides ER staff with a clear description of the situation.
This form has been in use for four years, and is monitored monthly for
compliance. Emergency room staff are pleased with the form, and it has
reportedly reduced the number of problems related to NH transfer.
clinical nurse specialist and the emergency room clinical nurse
specialist collaborated to develop a one-page “Resident Transfer Form”
(Figure). The form, which the NH nurse can fill out quickly during an
emergency, provides ER staff with a clear description of the situation.
This form has been in use for four years, and is monitored monthly for
compliance. Emergency room staff are pleased with the form, and it has
reportedly reduced the number of problems related to NH transfer.
You can download the form here, in a pdf of the paper in the Annals of Long-Term Care.
This is a great idea concerning adequate information on NH residents. Do you have any suggestions on improving NH doctor to ER doctor communication to decrease inappropriate transfers? Our ER gets overwhelmed with NH transfers often.
Jimmy, there are applications now that help manage the coordination and discharge of patients back or into nursing homes. Other than that, it requires case managers or social workers at the hospital working the phones.