Rapid Assessment Zones, Hemolysis Featured in Latest Journal of Emergency Nursing

Issue also contains research on distraction techniques

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Jan. 31, 2023) – The Journal of Emergency Nursing recently released its January issue featuring research on hemolysis rates in emergency departments, distraction methods during intravenous interventions and rapid assessment zones in emergency departments with limited capacity.

Hemolysis can cause delays in diagnosis, hospitalization, discharge and treatment. A study on hemolysis rates in emergency departments set out to find the most appropriate phlebotomy method for blood collection. A total of 715 patients were divided into six groups based on the method and device used. The overall hemolysis rate was 25.7 percent. That number was significantly reduced when a steel straight needle was used instead of an intravenous catheter.

Another study in the January JEN issue looked at the effects of distraction methods during intravenous interventions in the pediatric emergency unit. Children from ages four to 10 years were randomized into three groups: virtual reality, cold vibration and control. The control group used distraction by talking and asking questions to the children. For first-attempt intravenous insertion, the results for each group were virtual reality, 47.2 percent; cold vibration, 50 percent; and control, 46.9 percent. The study found no significant differences in the methods.

A third study analyzed the effects of a rapid assessment zone in emergency departments and the rates of patients leaving before being seen. In an emergency department with limited capacity, the triage area was redesigned to include eight rapid assessment rooms with dedicated staff. A total of 41,115 visits were analyzed; 20,731 before the implementation on Feb. 1, 2021, and 21,384 after. All metrics showed improvement in the six months before and six months after implementation. The rate of patients leaving without being seen decreased from 5.64 percent to 2.55 percent. The time from arrival to being seen by a provider decreased from 28 to 11 minutes and the length of stay decreased from 205 to 163 minutes.

The Journal of Emergency Nursing, ENA’s peer-reviewed academic journal, is published six times a year with original research and updates from the emergency nursing specialty, while also covering practice and professional issues.

The January issue can be found online here.