UF Health Shands Emergency Center – Springhill
Gainesville, Florida
UF Health Shands Emergency Center – Springhill
Over the past two years, nursing leaders at UF Health Shands Emergency Center–Springhill, an 11-bed freestanding emergency department, collaborated with emergency medicine and stroke neurology to improve stroke care metrics. Key goals included reducing door-to-provider and door-to-CT times and door-to-needle times. A major advancement was switching from tPA to Tenecteplase, a single dose IV push that simplified administration and increased nurse confidence. Tools, such as a stroke packet and “Sudden Symptoms List,” improved early recognition, while triage enhancements ensured timely alerts using CSTAT scores. In 2024, the ED consistently met the 10-minute door-to-provider goal, achieved near-perfect CT timing and averaged a 31-minute door-to-needle time, with some as fast as 16 minutes. The ED was recognized six times for the fastest door-to-needle times across the institution.
In response to rising patient volumes, the ED also launched expedited care pathways in collaboration with multiple specialties. Nurses played a central role in coordinating three key pathways: direct-to-OR for appendicitis and ureteral stones, and expedited ICU admission. These pathways reduced ED congestion, improved patient satisfaction and shortened patient length of stay. The initiative highlighted the impact of structured, team-based innovation on emergency care delivery.