Introduction to Healthcare

Introduction to Healthcare

Background Department Information

The emergency department deals with emergencies of all sorts as the word suggests. Emergencies involve treating patients who are in every critical conditions, making their lives be in danger of either death or other health complications like coma, paralysis, just to mention but a few. The emergency department requires all facilities and equipment to be ready at all times. It also requires readily available rooms including theatre rooms (Morrison & Mongale, 2009). There are doctors, nurses and other supportive staff readily available twenty-four hours to tackle any emergency. The department mostly works with general doctors, as they are able to deal with almost all types of emergencies before the arrival of a specialist doctor. There are at least three general doctors, ten nurses and fifteen supportive staff on call every time.

In the past, the emergency department was very efficient. There emergency delays were almost 0% and the patients who recovered went home more satisfied. The staff did not complain of overworking as they were evenly distributed and the emergencies were not as many. However, the story has been different for the past half a decade. The emergencies are more and the staffs are few. Even with the availability of technology, which is meant to make work easier and more efficient (Hughes & Perret, 2009), the hospital is witnessing delays in the emergency unit. Patients and those bringing the patients and noting this are complaining.

Staff and their responsibilities

       The support staff and two nurses receive an emergency at the entrance. It is a patient already in the hospital; a nurse first attends to the patient. The nurses try to stabilize a patient’s condition before the arrival of the doctor (Booyens, 2008). After the arrival of the doctor, the nurses work with the doctor as he/she tries to establish the main problem. If an emergency surgery is needed, one patient runs to the theater unit in order to arrange for the session, the other nurse arranges the necessary documentation to be signed by the next of kin and the other nurse remains with the doctor.

If there is need for a specialized doctor, he will be called in order to take over. However, if there is no time to waste, the available doctor will continue with the surgery and then he will hand over the case to the specialist if very necessary (Reilly & Markenson, 2011). As well known, emergencies should not be delayed. Unless it is beyond ones control, delays are not excusable. Delays are being experienced due to lack of facilities, available free theatre rooms, and available doctors.

Ramification of the problem

            The drop in customer satisfaction is one of the repercussions of the delay problem. Most people bringing their loved ones have complained of the patients staying in pain before they are catered for. The staff, which includes the doctors and the nurses, is complaining of being overworked. There are more patients now than there were some five years ago. Although the new technology was expected to make work easier, there is little difference felt. The three emergencies have to attend five emergencies at a go, which is a major cause of the experienced delays.

The numbers of deaths occurring in a day is also on the increase, Earlier the department used to experience at least one death out of every five emergencies handled. Nowadays, it has risen to three deaths per every ten emergencies handled. The sad part this might increase if nothing serious is done soon. People are having a preference of other hospitals overt this one. The delays are becoming intolerable and the staff is being overworked. If something is not done towards rectifying this problem, the medical organizations, human rights and the ministry may be forced to do something (Willams & Torrens, 2007). This is the last thing the hospital and the staff need. The hospital has to take action.

References

Booyens, S. W. (2008). Introduction to Health Services Management. Cape Town, S.A: Juta & Company Ltd

Hughes, P. & Ferret, E. (2009). Introduction to Health and Safety at Work. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Morrison, E. E. & Monagle, J. F. (2009). Health care ethics: critical issues for the 21st century. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Reilly, M. J., & Markenson, D. S. (2011). Health Care Emergency Management: Principles and Practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Williams, S. J. & Torrens, P. R. (2007). Introduction to health Services. New York, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.

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