Needs of Patients' Attending at the Emergency Department: A Case Study of the Krathumbaen Hospital, Krathumbaen District, Samutsakhorn Province

Abstract

          The emergency department is one of the most important service areas of the hospital. It provides immediate care to clients with serious needs from vehicular or work related accidents to any and other emergency medical conditions involving the respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal system. The aim of this research is to assess the patients' experiences as to their needs and difficulties upon visiting the emergency department at Krathumbaen hospital.There were 380 patients who came in with either vehicular or work related accidents or any other emergency medical conditions. Included in the subjects are 22 emergency room nurses and nurse assistants. Data were collected from January to May 2013. The information is gathered via various means such as personal detail, medical record, the needs questionnaire, as well as an in-depth interview with ER nurses. Data were analysed using the frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

          The results of this research revealed that the overall needs of most patients attending the emergency room were at a high level. When categorized according to each need, the survival needs were at a high level while the closeness needs and the freedom needs were at a moderate level. The overall needs of patients with respiratory problems were high. When considering each need, the survival needs were at a moderate level and the closeness needs and the freedom needs were at a moderate level. The overall needs of patients with cardiovascular problems were at a moderate level. When considering each need, the survival needs, the closeness needs and the freedom needs were at a moderate level. The overall needs of patients with gastrointestinal problems were at a moderate level. When considering each need, the survival needs were at a high level and the closeness needs and freedom needs were at a moderate level. The overall needs of patients with accident or trauma problems were at a high level. When considering each need, all three needs were at high level. In addition to this, results showed that the emergency department (ER) faces a shortage in the number of health professionals and supporting staff, medical equipments as well as the appropriate space allocation. The triage process remains slow and often confusing in the out-patient department (OPD). These findings indicate that the administrators' hospital should think about the patients' needs especially their survival needs, closeness needs, and the freedom needs. The implications of the results of this study do not only enhance the quality of the services, the sufficiency of the medical equipments, the appropriate space allocation, the management of the  healthcare services for fast tracking, but also address the non-shortage of staff and their performance.