Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Emergency Department

Mission Hills, California

With interdisciplinary collaboration, the Providence Holy Cross Medical Center emergency department created the ED Code

Stroke Pit Stop, staffed with a dedicated ED stroke RN. This strategic approach revolutionized the department’s emergency stroke care process and significantly improved patient outcomes. The streamlined process ensures that upon arrival, stroke patients receive immediate and coordinated care. The team’s swift action is supported by the infrastructure that allows for rapid assessment and treatment. The empowerment of assigned ED stroke nurses to directly contact the interventional neurologist expedites treatment decisions, cutting down unnecessary delays. The success of the ED Code Stroke Pit Stop is a testament to the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and protocol-driven care in emergency settings.

Additionally, the department implemented a 24/7 “first nurse” role staffed in the ED waiting room, which has enhanced patient care and operational efficiency. The significant reduction in of the Left Without Being Seen rates from 4 percent to 1.6 percent is a testament to how this role can effectively mitigate patient dissatisfaction and improve overall ED throughput. In addition, meeting the goal for door-to-EKG times consistently over the last year not only improves patient outcomes in critical cardiac cases but also raises the standard of care provided.