Helping hands and friendly faces in the ED
You may have noticed two new team members taking a proactive approach with patients and visitors in the Nepean Hospital emergency department waiting room.
Katherine and Jo are the new patient experience managers who greet people when they arrive at the ED and help them to navigate an often stressful and sometimes confusing journey through the ED.
Nepean is part of a NSW Health trial of the new positions and other measures to improve the wellbeing and comfort of people in ED waiting rooms.
Jo says often it’s the small things that they can help with that makes all the difference.
“Everyone is so busy in the ED, sometimes people can feel they have been forgotten in the waiting room. We can help by checking in on them and reminding them everyone will be seen.”
Katherine says having the patient experience managers out in the waiting room answering questions can also help other staff, such as clerks and triage nurses to focus on their tasks and not be interrupted so often.
Clinical Director of Emergency, Dr Claire Helm says patients and staff have provided lots of positive feedback.
“We want to improve the experience of patients presenting to Nepean Hospital from the front door.
“The patient experience manager roles are helping doctors on busy shifts keep track of the progress of patients in the waiting room. They help to address concerns of patients before they get to see their doctor, and anxiety is reduced.”