Part four in our series on the Fraser Health Knowledge Translation Challenge 2025 recipients features a team committed to developing a new guide to help reduce avoidable transfers between long-term care and emergency departments.
(Photo) Left to right: Mohinder Mann, RN, Susan Brown, Regional Director, Quality and Research Home and Community Care, Harpreet Shaw, HCAP lead, Candace Larson, Manager, Integrated Long-term Care & Assisted Living Quality Research and Initiatives
A visit to an emergency department can be overwhelming, especially for elderly people living in long-term care homes.
“Some long-term care residents are sent to Emergency for health concerns that can be safely managed on-site,” says Mohinder Mann, Fraser Health registered nurse and Knowledge Translation Challenge leader.
“These unnecessary transfers are stressful for residents and families, can result in medical complications and increase pressure on already stretched emergency departments.”
To help alleviate unnecessary visits to Emergency, Mohinder, along with the Integrated Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Quality and Research Initiatives Team, is developing a step-by-step guide to identify early signs of deterioration in residents.
Built with input from long-term care nurses, the guide - or Quick Alert Tool - will pick up things like fatigue, changes in vital signs or perhaps symptoms of heart and lung disease or infection.
It will prompt nurses to investigate, monitor and communicate with other care providers using structured summaries and established protocols. Staff will receive training, mentorship and ongoing support to effectively implement the tool in their work routines.
“This isn’t about replacing clinical judgement,” explains Mohinder. “It’s about supporting nurses to act confidently and avoid unnecessary trauma for residents in cases where their conditions can best be managed on site, rather than in a hospital.”
The guide will be rolled out at two long-term care homes with plans to expand regionally.
The team would like to thank Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation and Michael Health Research BC for funding this project.
“Our goal is that it will lead to earlier interventions, improved resident comfort and outcomes and a reduction in avoidable Emergency Department transfers,” adds Mohinder.
Learn more about the KT Challenge.
Read other stories in our series: