Critical pathways in the emergency department

The actual development of the CP is an easy undertaking that an experienced emergency nurse can accomplish. The important points to remember are as follows: (1) include all disciplines that provide patient care in the development of the CP, (2) use realistic time frames (i.e., those currently found to be true in the emergency department, not those that are perceived to be ideal), (3) thoroughly educate the staff about the value of the CP in the emergency department, and, finally, (4) make sure that staff members know how to document variances. CPs in the emergency department give physicians and nurses common ground on which to negotiate patient care management more efficiently and effectively. They are a logical way to bring case management into the acute care setting. With the cost of ED visits continually rising, patient acuity levels increasing, and resources declining, expedient, coordinated, multidisciplinary action is crucial in giving total quality care to each patient.