Buckenmyer, Charlotte, MS, RN, CEN

Sabbatini, Sandra, BSN, RN

Simpson, Constance, RN

Weitzel, Kristine, RN

Wisniewiski, Tara Lynne, BSN, RN

English

Lehigh Valley Health Network: LVHN Scholarly Works

Lehigh Valley Health NetworkLVHN Scholarly WorksPatient Care Services / NursingThe Surge of H1N1: A Patient Safety InitiativeCharlotte Buckenmyer MS, RN, CENLehigh Valley Health Network, Charlotte.Buckenmyer@lvhn.orgConstance Simpson RNLehigh Valley Health Network, Constance.Simpson@lvhn.orgKristine Weitzel RNLehigh Valley Health Network, Kristine_S.Weitzel@lvhn.orgSandra Sabbatini BSN, RNLehigh Valley Health Network, Sandra_J.Sabbatini@lvhn.orgTara Lynne Wisniewiski BSN, RNLehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarlyworks.lvhn.org/patient-care-services-nursingPart of the Emergency Medicine Commons, Nursing Commons, and the Virus DiseasesCommonsThis Poster is brought to you for free and open access by LVHN Scholarly Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in LVHN Scholarly Works by anauthorized administrator. For more information, please contact LibraryServices@lvhn.org.Published In/Presented AtBuckenmyer, C., Simpson, C., & Weitzel, K. (2010, September 23-25). The surge of H1N1: A patient safety initiative. Poster presentedat: The 2010 Emergency Nurses Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX.Sabbatini, S., & Wisniewski, L. (2010, October 28-29). The surge of H1N1: A patient safety initiative. Poster presented at: ThePennsylvania State Nurses Association's 2010 Annual Summit, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.Robinson, P., & Peter, D. (2011, May 25-27). The surge of H1N1: A patient safety initiative. Poster presented at: The National PatientSafety Foundation (NPSF) Patient Safety Congress, Washington, DC.Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown and Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaStaff in the Emergency Department (ED) at Lehigh Valley Health Network - Muhlenberg recognized the need to improve patient flow while caring for a surge of H1N1 patients:The Surge of H1N1: A Patient Safety InitiativeEmergency DepartmentSituation: Outcomes:Pre PostVolume 4573 4959LOS 229 min 218 minWait time 32 min 28 min	 •		Facilitate	the	rapid	flow	of	patients	experiencing	influenza-like	symptoms	through	a	busy	ED	 •		Provide	uncompromised	care	to	other	ED	patients			A Call for Action:	 •		Patients	presenting	in	the	ED	with	influenza-like	symptoms	and	other	emergencies	caused	increased	wait	times	and	decreased	patient	satisfaction			 •		A	patient	safety	plan	was	implemented	by	LVHN’s	ED	staff,	ED	leadership,	and	Emergency	Preparedness	team	to	minimize	staff	impact,	while	providing	adequate	space,	resources,	and	care	for	the	patient	population	with	suspected	H1N1A Call for Action:	 •		Immediate	actions	taken	by	the	ED	to	divert	influenza-like	patients	to	an	area	where	there	was	decreased	exposure	to	other	patient	populations	became	imminent:			 •		Temporary	solution:	 	 	 -		Surge	area	created	adjacent	to	the	ED	lobby,	and	 	 	 -		Set-Up:	segregated	patient	areas,	computers,	phones,	and	cough	stations		 	 	 -		Staffing:	ED	RNs	and	a	PA	or	physician	 •	‘Real’	solution:	 	 	 -		Inflatable	surge	hospital	erected	by	LVHN	Emergency	Preparedness	team	 	 	 -		Set-Up:		eight	segregated	patient	care	areas,	an	ante	room,	medical	carts,	and	computer	area	 	 	 -		Staffing	:	ED	RNs,	mid-level	providers,	and	ED	registrar			 	 	 -		Patients	initially	triaged	in	the	main	ED,	then	masked	and	taken	to	surge	hospital	 •		Metrics	pre	and	post	surg	hospital:	 •		Improved	staff	satisfaction	related	to	improved	patient	flowKey Learnings:	 •	Standardized	discharge	instructions	 •		Standardized	doses	of	medications	commonly	used •	Pre-written	prescriptions	for	Tamiflu	for	MDs	to	sign	 •	Communication	is	key	 	 	 -	Utilized	2-way	radios	with	staff	inside	EDSurg Hospital Facts:	 •	Fully	inflated	and	functional	in	3	hours	 •		8	private	patient	areas •	Average	number	of	patients	seen	daily	35WHO NOT TO PROPHYLAX FOR INFLUENZAWHO TO PROPHYLAX FOR INFLUENZA1. H ea lthy ch ild ren or adu lts who have been exposed in thecom m unity, schoo l, cam p or o ther se ttings2. If m ore than 48 hours e lapsed since contact w ith anin fected person.1 . P ersons who are at h igh risk for com plica tions of in fluenzaand who are a close contact of a person w ith H 1N 1in fection w ith in 48 hours. H igh risk for com plica tions wouldinc lude:a . P regnant w om enb. P ersons of all ages w ith the fo llow ing cond itions:i. C hron ic pu lm onary (inc lud ing pers is ten t asthm a)ii. C ard iovascula r (except hypertens ion)iii. R ena l insu ffic iencyiv . H epatic insu ffic iencyv. H em ato log ica l (inc lud ing sick le ce ll d isease)v i. M etabo lic (inc lud ing d iabe tes)v ii. D isorders tha t com prom ise resp ira to ry function or thehand ling o f resp ira to ry secre tions or tha t increase therisk fo r asp ira tion . (e .g . cogn itive dys function , sp ina l cordin ju ries , se izure d isorders , o r o ther nuerom uscu la rd isorders .)v iii. Im m unosuppress ion , inc lud ing tha t caused bym ed ica tions or H IV .

The Surge of H1N1: A Patient Safety Initiative

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The Surge of H1N1: A Patient Safety Initiative

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