The NCH Bonita Springs Freestanding Emergency Department, part of Naples Comprehensive Health, is a 12-bed facility staffed by a lean, but highly skilled interdisciplinary team. A recent

Naples Comprehensive Health Bonita Springs Freestanding Emergency Department

key initiative was redesigned team workflows during high-acuity and overlapping emergencies. Nurses and physicians redefined responsibilities – physicians managed specialty consultations and transfer coordination, which allowed nurses to remain focused on bedside care. This approach reduced delays, strengthened communication and trust, clarified roles and ensured timely transfer of critically ill patients. The process has since become embedded in daily practice to reinforce teamwork, accountability and delivery of high-quality emergency care.

Another initiative focused on improving the admission and transfer process for patients requiring inpatient beds at NCH’s main campuses. In collaboration with the bed management team, inpatient beds are assigned before room cleaning is complete, which allows environmental services and non-emergency medical transport requests to occur simultaneously rather than sequentially. Ryde Central was also integrated into the electronic health record. Doing so enabled staff to schedule transportation, automate transfer documentation and track transport status in real time through the dashboard. These nurse-driven improvements eliminated redundant work and increased transfer efficiency. The average bed-ready-to-occupied time dropped by 30 percent, enabling faster access to definitive inpatient care.