Policies, Procedures and Protocols
Whether you are creating a separate space, called the Geriatric ED, or trying to make your general ED more senior-friendly, the most important component is not the physical space but rather people and policies. In this section you can review a few articles that give you lots of ideas for policies, procedures and protocols that can be implemented in any ED that will make it more senior-friendly.
The interRAI ED Assessment System
Numerous studies have shown that emergency departments (EDs) are less effective in dealing with the complex needs of vulnerable older people. This is due, at least in part, to the failure to provide ...Read More
Identifying Elder Abuse Victims – An Important Component of a Senior-Friendly ED
The ED – a Place to Identify Abuse Older adults are commonly victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, with 5-10% of community-dwelling seniors experiencing elder mistreatment each yea...Read More
Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) Guide
Here is an outline for a script that any health care provider can use in the ED to ensure an accurate medication history — before discharge or before admission: Introduction – Introduce self and prof...Read More
Ten Practical Tips for a Best Possible Medication History
Be proactive. Gather as much information as possible prior to seeing the patient. Include primary medication histories, provincial database information, and medications vials/ lists. Prompt questions...Read More
A Rationale for a “Hold Overnight” Policy for Frail Older Patients
The Rationale Older patients often have non-specific presentations that raise complex medical and psychosocial questions relating to etiology and safe disposition. Falls and changes in behavior, such...Read More
Screening Tools for High-Risk Older Adults: Which To Choose?
Part of the role of the emergency department is risk stratification. Like for acute coronary syndrome, TIA, pulmonary embolism, frail older adults can be screened in the ED. Not only they can be scre...Read More
Screening Tools for Delirium, Dementia and Functional Decline
A number of tools can be added to the ED work flow to better identify older patients with important conditions that will make a difference to their care in the ED, their care if admitted, and appropr...Read More
An Approach to Using an Inter-disciplinary Geriatric Assessment Team in the ED
A Rationale for a “Hold Overnight” Policy for Complex Older Patients Elderly patients often have non-specific presentations that raise complex medical and psychosocial questions relating to etiology ...Read More
Just the Basics: Policies, Procedures & Protocols
Here is a list of potential improvements you could make in any ED to make it more senior-friendly. Start with the easy ones (on no budget) and progress from there. Where there are examples on this si...Read More
Policies, Procedures and Protocols
To read more about or view the complete Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines please visit: https://www.acep.org/geriedguidelines/ In order to facilitate elderly care in the Emergency department,...Read More
