The Golf Team clinic is in the parking garage area away from the Emergency Department which makes it difficult for our advanced care patients to travel between the emergency room and the clinic. During a nursing shared governance meeting, it was discussed that the patients needed to be transferred from one area of the hospital to the other safely when emergency care is required. The nurses discussed the best and safest method of transfer, from Clinic to Emergency care when the veteran is stable, and it was suggested that a golf cart that was readily available to the clinics would be the best option.
The idea was discussed with the nurse managers, Cathy Brown and Davion Washington. Once approved, Cathy Brown devised a schedule for golf cart training to working closely with our transportation department. All nursing staff completed the training and a golf cart was assigned to us for patient transfer. The golf cart is shared between Golf, Foxtrot, and the GI Clinic, which allowed us to coordinate and communicate assignments for golf cart pick up.
One nurse, Karen Jeremiah arranges and updates the schedule which is posted on the s: drive allowing access to all clinic personnel. The schedule ensures that the golf cart is readily available when needed by the clinic staff. By identifying the need for improved patient transportation, acquiring the use of a golf cart and developing a process to ensure patients were transported within minutes to the clinic, the Golf Team nurses decreased patient wait times for emergency care and improved patient satisfaction. This innovation has resulted in a tremendous improvement in continuity of care.