Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital Emergency Department
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital Emergency Department
After determining patients who presented with chest pain often had to wait for a
nurse to finish triaging another patient before obtaining an EKG, the ED team at
Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital updated its processes to reduce the door-to-EKG time. Staff now place the patient in another available room to complete the EKG. The triage nurse then places the order.
The team implemented prompt closed-loop communication from the staff
completing the EKG to the health unit coordinator. The department also added a
space dedicated to performing EKGs in the waiting room. After the process
launched, the department exceeded its goal of completing EKGs within 10 minutes at least 75 percent of the time in four of the five subsequent months.
Additionally, the department improved staff engagement, received positive feedback in engagement surveys and increased participation in shared governance. Improved communication fostered a culture of transparency and trust, strengthening team resilience and commitment to patient care. By prioritizing engagement, education and leadership presence, the department created a more supportive work environment that led to sustained improvements in nurse retention and overall unit stability. The efforts reduced nurse turnover to just 6 percent in 2024.
nurse to finish triaging another patient before obtaining an EKG, the ED team at
Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital updated its processes to reduce the door-to-EKG time. Staff now place the patient in another available room to complete the EKG. The triage nurse then places the order.
The team implemented prompt closed-loop communication from the staff
completing the EKG to the health unit coordinator. The department also added a
space dedicated to performing EKGs in the waiting room. After the process
launched, the department exceeded its goal of completing EKGs within 10 minutes at least 75 percent of the time in four of the five subsequent months.
Additionally, the department improved staff engagement, received positive feedback in engagement surveys and increased participation in shared governance. Improved communication fostered a culture of transparency and trust, strengthening team resilience and commitment to patient care. By prioritizing engagement, education and leadership presence, the department created a more supportive work environment that led to sustained improvements in nurse retention and overall unit stability. The efforts reduced nurse turnover to just 6 percent in 2024.