The ED is extremely busy. There are patients in corridors, ambulances are queuing outside, and the waiting room is full. As the senior doctor on the shop floor, what would you do? | Interview Prep | Job Clerk
The ED is extremely busy. There are patients in corridors, ambulances are queuing outside, and the waiting room is full. As the senior doctor on the shop floor, what would you do?
Tips to guide your answer
- Crowding is a patient safety issue - RCEM evidence shows increased mortality when the ED is overcrowded
- Immediate actions: take a "helicopter view" of the department, identify patients who can be moved or discharged, prioritise the sickest patients
- Escalation: trigger the hospital's full capacity protocol, contact the bed manager and site team
- Rapid discharge: identify patients who are medically fit for discharge and expedite their departure
Sign in to unlock speak mode
Sign in to record answers, use your free attempts, and build an attempt history.