Protecting Patients

• During the winter months many emergency room visits are for flu-like symptoms, and it is important for hospitals and urgent care centers to have policies and procedures in place to protect patients from infecting staff members and one another. The last thing health care providers want is for emergency room visitors to become ill while they are in the waiting room. That is why it is important for emergency rooms to quickly assess patients as they enter the ER and isolate patients who may be carrying contagious diseases. A triage nurse on staff is a big help, because the nurse will be able to quickly determine the most likely cause of the illness and take the appropriate steps to protect workers and other patients.
  
  

Private Room Screening

• As patients come into the emergency room and are assessed by an experienced triage nurse, those patients should be taken into a private exam room as quickly as possible. This procedure will accomplish a few very important goals. For one thing a private room is the best way to protect the privacy of patients who may have very sensitive things to discuss. In addition taking incoming patients into a private room right away helps to protect other patients who may be waiting from becoming infected.
  
  

Infection Control Procedures

• Infection control is a critical part of any emergency room, and it is important that policies and procedures be put in place to make protecting patients and staff members easier. Keeping a box of protective face masks at the front desk is an excellent way to encourage visitors and patients alike to protect themselves and one another. Providing each emergency room visitor with a small bottle of hand sanitizer is another effective way to protect patients and prevent the spread of disease in the ER. By keeping these items on hand, emergency room managers can greatly reduce the risks of disease exposure.