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The Challenge
In order to safely accommodate patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with COVID-19-like symptoms, North Bay Regional Health Centre divided the emergency department into respiratory (wet) and non-respiratory (dry) zones. The new wet zone contained the location where mental health patients had historically been assessed by the crisis team.
The Solution
- In response to anticipated demand for Emergency Department (ED) services related to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Bay Regional Health Centre looked at an innovative way to reduce Mental Health visits within the ED.
- The hospital adopted a tool to be used at triage to determine which patients were low risk and could be diverted out of the ED to be assessed by our crisis team at a different location.
- This innovation provided the following benefits for patients:
- Enhanced privacy and confidentiality (out of the ED),
- Reduced risk of cross-contamination,
- Improved timeliness of assessments.
- Patients returning for psychiatry assessment could go directly to crisis area rather than ED.
- Staff experienced seamless transfer of accountability, increased communication and collaboration.
- Emergency Department staff benefited from PSW and protective Services staff support during downtime.
The Process
- Management level meeting with Crisis service, ED, Security and Physician/psychiatry to identify location and needs
- Create a safe location and gather resources for staff (i.e. Vocera communication tools)
- Provided education to staff on the triage decision-making tool
- Protective Services staff and a PSW added to team for support
- Weekly meetings with original team to engage in PDSA
Contact
For more information on Emergency Department Mental Health Clinic - North Bay Regional Health Centre, contact:
- Jennifer Moore jennifer.moore@nbrhc.on.ca
- Christianna Jones christianna.jones@noojmowin-teg.ca
