'Corridor care' in the emergency department: managing patient care in non-clinical areas safely and efficiently.

MEDICAL quality control; TEAMS in the workplace; PRIVACY; PSYCHIATRIC nursing; HOSPITAL emergency services; NURSING; MEDICAL triage; CROWDS; SCHIZOPHRENIA; CONTINUING education units; MEDICATION error prevention; RISK assessment; RESPONSIBILITY; MEDICAL ethics; PEDIATRIC nursing; ADVERSE health care events; EMERGENCY nurses; DIGNITY; PATIENT care; PATIENT safety; EMERGENCY nursing; NURSING assessment; PAIN management; DISEASE risk factors

Why you should read this article: • To identify the unique challenges of having to care for patients in non-clinical areas • To consider practical solutions for enhancing safety and efficiency in 'corridor care' • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) Overcrowding in the emergency department (ED) is a significant issue and often leads to nursing care being delivered in areas not intended for clinical use, a practice commonly referred to as 'corridor care'. Delivering care in non-clinical areas negatively affects patient safety and poses unique professional challenges for emergency nurses while also reducing their well-being. To end – or at least reduce – corridor care, system-level interventions are needed. In the meantime, there are practical solutions that can be implemented at an individual and departmental level to mitigate some of the risks associated with it. This article discusses a pragmatic approach to patient care, and explores opportunities for nurses to mitigate risks and enhance safety and efficiency, in overcrowded EDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]