Marlohn Balas

Abstract

This comparative study was conducted in order to determine (1) the average length of stay patients experienced in a selected emergency room, (2) in what area this time was being spent, (3) what class of patients required the most time, and (4) if there was an increase or decrease in the average length of time for twenty-five patients in Group I in 1963, and twenty-five patients in Group II in 1965.

A review of literature was done relating to emergency room service. The descriptive survey was chosen as the method of study. A checklist was the tool of research.

Findings revealed that despite a moderate increase in the total number of patient visits in the emergency room, patients in Group II in 1965 spent a shorter period of time for emergency visits, than did those in Group I in 1963. It was concluded that the emergency room was making the necessary changes to meet the demands of the patients' and the community's needs. There were many more patients seen with non-urgent problems than with urgent problems in both groups, indicating that the patient was utilizing the emergency room for any health care problem he might have.

Patients with the non-urgent problem spent a longer period of time in the emergency room than did those with an urgent problem. For as the urgency of the problem decreased the length of time a patient spent in the emergency room increased. This was the same for both Group I and Group II. It was concluded that the emergency room personnel were able to identify the patients' needs and took the necessary steps to provide care.

All classes of patients were contacted by the nurse in the same mean time for both groups, and it was concluded that the nursing personnel performance was stable and efficient.

In both groups, as the urgency of the problem decreased the length of time it took for the physician to see the patients increased. Therefore the emergency room personnel were able to determine the urgency of the patients' needs and were able to meet these immediate needs. The examination and treatment of those patients with an urgent problem took longer than did those with a non-urgent problem. This was the same for both groups. It was concluded that necessary judgment was used in dividing the time of the physician according to the needs of the patient.

In Group I and II patients who required diagnostic studies spent about an hour longer in the emergency room than those who did not utilize these services, and in Group II in 1965 the admitting procedure took twice as long for the Group I in 1963. It was felt that this appeared to be areas in which additional study is needed.

From this study it was concluded that the overall time spent by the patient in this selected emergency room could not be considered unreasonable.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Matilda Anabelle Mills

Second Advisor

Winifred Edwards

Third Advisor

Betty Stirling

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1965

Date (Title Page)

6-1965

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Emergency Service, Hospital; Time

Type

Thesis

Page Count

v; 51

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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