Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Department

Downers Grove, Illinois

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital ED, now recognized with a second Lantern, initiated measures involving expedition of specialty populations such as pediatric and obstetric patients to definitive care.

It hired a full-time pediatric coordinator for monitoring data trends, initiating quality improvement projects, pediatric staff education and readiness. The team addressed the challenge of obtaining accurate vital signs in children and finding private space in triage for the attending to complete huddles. Staff now receive orientation time with the pediatric coordinator.

The Overhead Pediatric Sepsis Alert involves the bedside nurse, charge nurse and attending physician. Pediatric patients are screened for sepsis using an evidence-based tool in triage. A positive screen prompts a “critical kid huddle” in the treatment room with the nurse and attending within 10 minutes. A positive huddle triggers a pediatric sepsis protocol.

The Level 2 trauma criteria were updated to include obstetric 20-plus weeks that experiences a trauma resulting in potential fetus injury. It ensures the ED physician performs a trauma exam on stable, low mechanism pregnant trauma patients within 10 minutes, while a member of the obstetrics team performs fetal monitoring. Interdisciplinary collaboration among ED, OB and trauma departments included simulations, which are ongoing.