Nurse Initiated Standing Orders: A Process Improvement at an Emergency Department in Interior Alaska
Document Type
Capstone Experience
Graduation Date
12-2023
Degree Name
Master of Public Health
First Committee Member
Dr. Sharon Medcalf, PhD
Second Committee Member
Keith Hansen
Third Committee Member
Dr. Catherine Buckley, MD
Abstract
Emergency Departments (EDs) are a valuable and limited public health resource. In addition to treating acute medical emergencies, EDs bridge the gaps in urgent care and primary care accessibility, operating twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, providing care regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. EDs across the country operate at or above capacity regularly, and overcrowding is projected to increase due to decreased facilities and available inpatient beds. Innovative measures are necessary to increase patient throughput and decrease length of stay while maintaining quality care. Nurse initiated standing orders, also known as nurse driven protocols, standing orders, order sets, standardized procedures, triage protocols, etc., initiated by registered nurses prior to a medical assessment by an Emergency Department Physician, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician’s Assistant, are an effective mechanism to reduce length of service.
Recommended Citation
Melberg, Justin D., "Nurse Initiated Standing Orders: A Process Improvement at an Emergency Department in Interior Alaska" (2023). Capstone Experience. 294.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_slce/294
Included in
Critical Care Nursing Commons, Emergency Medicine Commons, Nursing Administration Commons, Public Health Commons, Quality Improvement Commons