NPs speed up ICU admittance process

Nurse practitioners at Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. developed a care model prioritizing rapid assessment and treatment of patients admitted to the intensive care unit from the emergency department, decreasing the time in half for them to receive specialized care. The changes also slightly reduced short-stay admissions. The NPs streamlined the ICU admission process by having an intensivist-led team manage the care for critically ill patients from admission to discharge. The NPs ensured that patients transferred to the ICU received timely care. Critical care consultations and initial assessments took place prior to the patient’s arrival in the ICU, enabling triage of patients who boarded in the ED. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Advanced Critical Care published results. (Newswise news release, 7/15/26)