Situation
In a local hospital, the work of an Emergency Medicine Stabilization Team, or EMSTAT, is highly valued; however, the staff has recently reported patient dissatisfaction and an inability to predict all potential malpractice risks. Patients require more attention due to increased waiting times and the number of cases where they leave the department without being seen (LWBS). Although EMSTAT members explain their interest in providing professional care, they are unable to succeed in all resuscitation activities due to the absence of the necessary personnel on their team. As a result, nurses must complete more tasks, which can lead to neglect of their primary duties. A physician cannot spend much time with each patient to diagnose correctly, and some steps of resuscitation are missed, provoking adverse health outcomes.
Background
The urgency of hiring an additional physician assistant (PA) in a health system-based resuscitation team is not a new item in EMSTAT. However, this decision has been postponed due to poor funding, unpredictable equipment problems, and uncontrolled patient flow. It is typically expected that nurse coordination with an ambulance organization will manage the presence of critically ill patients in the emergency department (Klotz et al., 2023).
In the current case, nurses face challenges in coordination processes due to the need to focus on assisting other employees. According to King et al. (2023), an adequate number of nurses, doctors, and PAs is associated with positive resuscitation and clinical outcomes, decreased readmission rates, and improved care management. No discussions about hiring an additional PA were initiated during the last six months because the leader was unable to obtain sufficient financial resources to cover the hiring need. One of the team members suggested finding a PA to fill the staffing gap and distribute resuscitation responsibilities effectively.
Assessment
If there is a need to improve the current situation in EMSTAT, particularly in addressing the staffing shortage, it is essential to examine available opportunities and expected outcomes. The contributions of a PA in an emergency department remain crucial, appropriate, and safe, aiding patient flow and freeing doctors for more complex and vital assignments (King et al., 2023). Patients may also perceive the presence of an additional PA in a team as beneficial, as it can reduce waiting time, enhance communication, and facilitate a holistic care approach (King et al., 2023).
A team leader should weigh all the pros and cons of the required hiring decision and consider the outcomes concerning resuscitation processes. The primary observation should be made regarding the possibility of downgrading and discharging patients to conserve intensive care unit resources after emergency department stat interventions (Klotz et al., 2023). Therefore, the need to hire an additional PA in a team should no longer be postponed to predict the progress of new challenges and emergency-related inconsistencies.
Recommendation
To resolve the issue based on the situation, its background, and assessment, an ESTAT leader should recommend hiring a new PA. If there are still doubts about the appropriateness of the staffing decision, it is recommended to compare the outcomes of ESTAT work from the last month and identify both the positive and negative shifts. However, at the moment, most employees admit the importance of increasing the staff and the possibility of dividing all responsibilities properly, including all the integral steps of the resuscitation process. Patient satisfaction, accurate cooperation between healthcare providers and clients, and the prevention of malpractice risks are the factors to support the initial recommendation of hiring an additional PA.
References
King, N. M., Habeeb, M., & Helps, S. (2023). The contribution of physician associates or assistants to the emergency department: A systematic scoping review. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 4(3).
Klotz, E., Macy, R., Obrzut, S., Atha, W., Ligon, R., Fluharty, J., & Huffner, W. (2023). Utilizing an emergency medicine stabilization team to provide critical care in a rural health system: A novel approach. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 63, 113-119.