Communication
Stress levels run high in the emergency department. Mistakes are unacceptable. Patients’ lives depend on the skill and focus of the emergency medical team. Clear, precise communication is invaluable, so the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Lübeck, Germany, decided to create the optimum conditions for it.
Patients’ lives depend on the skill and focus of the emergency medical team
“In this stressful, demanding situation, we have to be in a position to communicate in a precise and easily understandable manner. So that diagnosis and treatment proceed as efficiently and as fast as possible,” says Sebastian Wolfrum. “This is critical – we can’t afford any disruptions or misunderstandings here. If there is one weak link in the chain, it can easily jeopardize the whole situation.”
“The more we can eliminate unnecessary sources of stress, the better it is for our patients, their family members, and visitors. Noise can be a cause for concern, especially when you don’t know what it is. Noise disturbs sleep, interfering with an essential phase of recovery. Everywhere we can reduce disruption, we promote healing and improve work quality,” says Sebastian Wolfrum.
Emergency units
The new emergency department at the Lübeck campus of the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein was constructed just over a year ago as an interim solution. It replaces the previous emergency department for the next decade, until the master plan for a new hospital comes to fruition. The building’s upper floor houses an overflow ward for use during the ongoing construction work at the hospital. The modular structure was erected in just six months and is fully reversible. Hygienic acoustic ceilings enable clinicians and nurses to care for their patients in a quiet, discreet environment.
Read the full interview with Sebastian and watch the video about the case in the new digital ECO Magazine Healthcare Edition (completely free)
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