Acute Surgical Assessment Units (ASAU), as defined in the NCPS Acute Model of Care 2013 (RCSI Press, 2012), set out a process whereby considerable efficiency and safety benefits may accrue to acutely ill surgical patients.
The Acute Floor refers to the area of the hospital when unplanned patients who arrive with acute medical, surgical and psychiatric conditions are assessed and treated.
The ASAU constitutes one component of the Acute Floor which also includes an ED, Resuscitation Unit and Acute Medical Unit as well as an age related assessment unit.
ASAUs are designed to deal with a significant throughput of acutely unwell surgical patients, not unwell to the level where they require active resuscitation.
Category 1s and 2 patients (Manchester Triage System) will continue through the ED/resuscitation streams.
The primary aim of an ASAU as set out in the Minimum Standards for Acute Surgical Assessment Units in Ireland (NCPS, 2023) is to deliver Senior Decision Making early in the pathway of selected acute surgical patients.
Treatment may either be on the spot, by ambulatory or outpatient care or patients may require admission.
The main quality measures are to reduce Patient Experience Times (PET) and reduce inappropriate admissions thus providing better patient care.
Additional gains should include savings in average length of stay (AvLOS), increased patient satisfaction, and decreased time to diagnostics and surgery.
The overall purpose of the ASAU cANP/rANP service is to provide safe, timely, evidenced based nursing care to patients at an advanced nursing level.
The involves undertaking and documenting complete episodes of patient care which includes comprehensively assessing, diagnosing, planning, treating and discharging patients in accordance with collaboratively agreed caseloads, local policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines and/or service level agreements/memoranda of understanding.
The cANP/rANP demonstrates advanced clinical and theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, clinical leadership and complex decision making abilities.
For enquiries, Please contact - Sorcha Burns - DNM ED/ Specialty Medicine Directorate (EASM) - Email: ******