Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Mary Ellen Roberts, DNP

Committee Member

Mary Ellen Roberts, DNP

Committee Member

Katherine Hinic, PhD

Committee Member

Stephanie Gallant, DNP

Keywords

Chest pain, patient navigator, emergency department, quality improvement.

Abstract

Abstract The most common complaint seen in the Emergency Department, along with abdominal pain, is nonspecific chest pain. Often, these complaints cause prolonged lengths of stay in the ED, followed by hospital admissions and subsequent readmissions for various reasons. When thinking about these various reasons, the question for prevention of readmission comes to mind. What could we do as a department to keep patients from continuously using the Emergency Department as a primary point of care instead of outpatient facilities when necessary? Project Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to initiate the need for a patient navigator in the ED, most specifically in the post-chest pain discharged population. Methods: This project used a telephone call with a variety of open-ended questions over a one-month period. Patients that had been evaluated at a large, urban hospital in Central New Jersey were called back post-discharge from the ED. Using this technique helped understand what might have been missed or overlooked during the visit. Results: Participants (n=10) answered an open-ended telephone questionnaire. A majority of the participants agreed that it would have been beneficial to have a patient navigator assist with their care post discharge. Conclusions: Having a patient navigator in the ED would facilitate post discharge instructions and follow up for ease in transitioning care to the outpatient setting.

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