The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Emergency Department

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

High patient volume combined with boarding contributed to prolonged waiting room times in the 66-bed emergency department at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In response, the ED team partnered with the patient and guest relations department to create a waiting room liaison role. This role is filled by an emergency department technician who receives specialized training to provide real-time patient experience support. The liaison helps address concerns promptly, supports patient safety and operational efficiency, and plays a role in the department’s efforts to reduce the number of patients leaving without completing treatment.

Through a staff-related initiative, the ED standardized post orientation support and established the Orientation Facilitator Committee. Two experienced nurses co-chair the group to include a mentorship component in the workflow that provides ongoing check-ins for new graduate nurses for two years and one year for experienced nurses new to the ED. Extending the partnership beyond formal orientation allows the facilitators to provide resources, guidance and education as nurses grow into their clinical role in the ED.