A hospital nurse administrator is working to help the emergency department meet the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for emergency care

Question

Which initiatives should be included in this work? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply. 1. Funding for a new pediatric coordinator position in the ED
2. Revision of the ED physical layout to improve patient flow
3. Decreasing the number of standards that affect the operation of the ED
4. Advocating for payment for all ED care provided
5. Development of a clinical decision unit

Answer 1

1,2,4,5
Rationale 1: The IOM recommends that a pediatric coordinator be hired to ensure that appropriate equipment, training, and services are provided concerning children.
Rationale 2: The IOM recommends that tools from other disciplines such as engineering and operations research be used to improve patient flow.
Rationale 3: The IOM advocates the development of well-defined standards and performance improvement measures.
Rationale 4: The IOM supports measures that would ensure that hospitals are reimbursed for all care delivered in the ED.
Rationale 5: A clinical decision unit is a short-stay unit where patients are admitted until a decision is made about the best course of treatment. Use of these units would reduce the numbers of patients who are boarded or kept for long periods in the ED.