BACKGROUND
Current workflow in GYN triage has medical students interviewing patients after triage by nursing staff. The optimal time to initiate patient contact is unclear. This confusion has led to duplication of questions to patients, interruptions for nurses and fewer patient encounters for students.
OBJECTIVE
Determine if a restaurant-style buzzer can streamline workflow in gynecology (GYN) triage.
METHODS
A Plan-Do-Study-Act approach was used. Stakeholders were medical students, nurses, Nurse Practitioners and physicians. Factors contributing to workflow slowdown: students re-asking questions of patients, interruption of nursing staff, confusion about optimal patient flow. The net result was fewer interviews completed by students. The project was introduced during clerkship orientation. Buzzers were provided on weeks 1, 3, 5 of the rotation. Weeks 2, 4, 6 no buzzers were provided as an internal control. After each clerkship, students received a survey assessing key areas of waste and workflow disruption. A focus group with ten nurses was also conducted.
RESULTS
From February-July 2019, 30/45 surveys were completed (66%)
1. Very difficult/difficult to know when to begin the encounter: 90% without; 21.4% with buzzer p<.001
2. Students re-asking questions: very often/often 96.7% without; 14.8% with buzzer p<.001
3. Nursing staff interruptions: 76.7% very often/often without; 18.5% with buzzer p<.001
4. The odds of interviewing 5 or more patients per shift are ~10X greater using the buzzer χ²=14.2; p<.001
CONCLUSIONS
The 10 nurses interviewed unanimously favored the use of the buzzer. Introduction of a simple, low-cost restaurant-style buzzer improved triage work-flow, student and nursing experience.
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