Analysis of the emergency hospital patient flow: a case study

Abstract

This qualitative study, using a case study design, had the aim to analyze the service flow at two emergency hospital units. The study was developed in November and December 2010, at a service where care is provided by means of embracement with risk classification and at another one where patients are seen on a first come, first served basis. Data were collected by means of direct observation of the practice, with records made on field notes that were treated with the content analysis technique. The analyses of the collected information resulted in two thematic categories: Caring for users at emergency hospital services and Embracing users and families. In conclusion, neither of the services had a counter-referral system; care at the service that adopts embracement with risk classification was continuous and hierarchized; the flow of patients was more dynamic and; the nurse had more autonomy for making clinical decisions.