St. Joseph’s Health Wayne Medical Center

Wayne, New Jersey

Wayne Medical Center Emergency Department was the first healthcare facility to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security in combating Human Trafficking. The ED team’s work included education and processes to ensure patient safety and the ability to provide direct connections with appropriate representatives to ensure a safe transfer of the victim. The team has since expanded throughout the healthcare system as well as presented at numerous venues.

The team also changed processes to better ensure timely care. Increased volumes in Wayne’s 20-bed ED made rapid identification and treatment of individuals presenting with stroke and MI symptoms — the majority of whom enter via triage — more difficult for the RN. At the beginning of 2025, the department piloted the position of greeter RN, who provides an immediate across-the-room assessment of each person entering triage, shortening the time between arrival and treatment for the most critical patients.