An understanding...

Winter, has arrived early!

I am an ED Nurse, and holding admitted patients in the ED awaiting an inpatient bed, has somehow become the "norm."  It is truly mind boggling that overall, hospital administrators, directors, managers, etc., have not realized that the main entry point for patients admitted to the hospital is the ED.

So when the entire admission process comes to a screeching halt, due to un-staffed beds (that is a bed is available, but no nurses are available to care for the patient)... I wonder about the reimbursement issues.  Now, recently, I can attest that the 31 patients being held in my ED, were a result of a lack of physical beds.  That is the hospital was full!  All available beds were staffed, and occupied.  But there were a few units closed due to renovations, etc.

With all the "metrics" and "QA/QI/CQI/etc."  No one has identified the problem?  No one has hypothesized a solution?  No research has been done?  No application of results have been implemented?

Oh!  I apologize.

The solution increases expenses in a time of decreasing revenues.  Got it!