Derby's Nurse Led Discharge Unit in A&E re-launched
A new area in Royal Derby Hospital’s Emergency Department, which aims to streamline the discharge process for patients meeting certain criteria, has been re-launched.
The Nurse Led Discharge Unit (NLDU) has waiting areas for up to 10 ambulatory care patients as well as two bays to assess frail and elderly patients.
The unit is able to treat patients who present to A&E with conditions such as an overdose, chest pain requiring further blood tests and anaphylaxis and are identified by senior clinicians as in a stable condition will now be transferred to the NLDU.
From here, the patients will be cared for by a team of Senior Nurses and Healthcare Assistants who will help to carry out any further tests which may be required to decide whether the patient needs to be admitted to a ward or can be cleared as medically fit for discharge and sent home.
The aim of the unit is to create capacity in the department for patients presenting with more complex conditions who require higher levels of care and to ensure that patients are treated and sent on to their next destination in a timelier manner, thus improving their experience.
Kim Taylor and Chrissie Poole, Senior Sisters leading the NLDU, said: “Our aim is to reduce medical admissions by at least 10 per cent, therefore creating more capacity for our colleagues in the Medical Assessment Unit and reducing the workload for our doctors. We are really optimistic about the positive impact the unit will have on the Emergency Department and the wider hospital.”
Sharon Martin, Executive Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are committed to improving patient experience at UHDB, and the re-launch of this fantastic unit is just another way we’re offering the best possible care in the timeliest manner to the communities we serve. I would like to thank everyone involved in the NLDU for their consistent hard work and commitment to improving our services.”