Short stay returns: Nurse Unit Manager Craig Frew and Dr Simon Judkins are thrilled to have the short-stay unit back at Echuca Regional Health.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Staff at Echuca Regional Health are excited to announce that the short-stay unit officially re-opened on April 19.
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The short stay unit has been closed since November 2019, when the region’s health service made the decision to close it.
ERH doctor Simon Judkins said the return of the short-stay unit was “very welcome.”
He said through the re-introduction of the short-stay unit, ERH could offer shorter waiting times, avoid admitting patients to wards, increase patient capacity and create a space for safer patient care.
Short-term stay here to stay: One of six short-stay unit rooms.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
The unit, which is managed by emergency department staff, can hold up to six patients, at any one time.
Patients who are eligible for the short-stay unit are patients who are in need of a prolonged stay of at least four hours, for instance, elderly patients who fall in the middle of the night and have no way of getting home, patients awaiting further diagnostic results or patients who are waiting to be transferred to other hospitals.
Patients are able to stay in the short-stay unit for up to 24 hours, but the length of time varies greatly between each individual patient and their unique diagnosis, but turnover between patients can be quick.
Dr Judkins said the re-opening of the unit had been such a relief to ERH staff.
“This will only make our emergency department more efficient, more comfortable for patients, provide patients with improved access by allowing us to take on more patients,” he said.
The short-stay unit is available four to five days per week.
Nurse Unit Manager Craig Frew said ERH was actively looking to recruit more medical staff in the emergency department, so the unit could run 24/7.
“We want to be able to provide this essential service to our patients every day of the week,” Mr Frew said.
For more information about positions on offer at ERH, visit https://erh.org.au/education-item/join-the-team/
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