The Unexpected Experience – The Emergency Department

Janiece Gray, Founding Partner/CEO, DTA Associates, Inc.
Richelle Jader, Director of Emergency Services, Regions Hospital
Daisy Nelson, Charge Nurse/Staff Nurse, Regions Hospital

This session will provide a deep dive into key principles for changing a culture within a Level 1 Trauma Center. A case study will be featured with the key principles that have helped transform an Emergency Department culture. Based on patient level observations and a culture assessment, a training workshop was created for all members to attend. It was important that this reflected the Emergency Department’s culture as well as the needs of their staff.

Opportunities were identified through patient and family advisory councils and with an interdisciplinary patient experience team from the department. The goal was that patient and family desires were articulated in staff and provider words. The interdisciplinary team of Physicians, PAs, nurses, techs/ERTs, medics, clerks, police officers, and social workers were integral to the development of the workshop. They helped to identify key content, determine the modules and modes of delivery, create tools and videos to support skills practice, positively communicated the “why” behind the sessions to generate enthusiasm and helped host the sessions to engage their colleagues. 350 department members attended over a three-month period.

The next step after the workshop was for everyone to participate in a Care Team Coaching session identifying their individual strengths and any opportunities for enhancement. The results were shared confidentially in a debrief session and written report. 11 Emergency Department staff were identified and trained to be Care Team Coaches to lead this program internally. There are key learnings from these efforts and great success to be shared.