Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Emergency Department
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Emergency Department
The emergency department team at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital had developed a designated Focus Care area, also known as vertical care, to better manage the increasing number of low-acuity patients it saw in a region where the number of primary care physicians was declining. After Focus Care was in place, the team worked to improve team nursing, nurse-to-provider communication, and organizational efficiency. They defined clear roles within Focus Care, with a nurse assigned to each provider, a team lead and a task nurse. The 1:1 nurse-provider collaboration helped decrease workflow confusion and improve treatment times for patients. Providers know exactly which nurse to turn to when they have questions or need help. Licensed practical nurses are also part of the Focus Care team. After the first three months, leadership and Focus Care team leads continue to meet quarterly to discuss any areas of improvement and what continues to go well. Team members have expressed increased satisfaction with working in Focus Care since the implementation of assigned roles. The employee engagement survey showed a 14 percent increase from 2023 to 2024.