By Jeff Helsdon
A new nurse practitioner for the emergency department at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital has been hired to help tackle wait times.
Krista Wright, a nurse practitioner originally from St. Mary’s, will be assigned to the Rapid Assessment Fast Track (RAFT) area within the emergency department. She starts on Monday, Sept. 23. The hours of the nurse practitioner will be Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"I am incredibly excited to join the team at TDMH and to serve the community here,” Wright said. “I look forward to providing personalized, high-quality care and making a positive impact on the health and well-being of the people in this region. It's an honor to be part of a team dedicated to ensuring that every patient receives the care they need, close to home."
The emergency room nurse practitioner is a self-directed advanced practice nurse who function in an expanded nursing role. Nurse practitioners can practice independently and perform health assessments, diagnosis and management of illness and injuries.
April Mullen, chief nursing executive and vice-president clinical services for TDMH and Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll, explained when patients come to the emergency room they will be assessed by the triage nurse as has been the practice in the past. They will then be assigned a number on the triage acuity scale, and patients on the lower end of the acuity scale will be sent to the RAFT area. The RAFT area has a separate entrance and its own examination rooms.
Examples of some of the many issues the nurse practitioner can deal with include, minor cuts, abrasions, ear, nose or throat complaints and those with cold or flu symptoms. As an example, Mullen said the mother with a baby with an ear ache could be seen by Wright.
“It will address our long wait times,” she said. “We recognize we have long times for lower acuity patients.”
Patients in the RAFT area will include those without a family doctor, or those who cannot wait for an appointment with their doctor.
“This is not replacing family doctor services, but clearly we know there are a lot of people who don’t have a primary care physician,” Mullen said.
The nurse practitioner position is funded through the Ministry of Health’s Pay for Results funding. Mullen explained this program has traditionally been for larger hospitals, but was made available to smaller, rural hospitals in the last year.
The TDMH position was posted nine months ago. It was filled by the physician recruiter hired jointly by the town and hospital.
“That partnership with the town of Tillsonburg has showed its value,” Mullen said.
Comments