End of Shift - New Consult Sign Outs (URGENT)

It has come to our attention that several residents are waiting for the next call team to see new consultations. This results in delay of the assessment and treatment implementations patients. The house rules have been modified to optimize patient safety. Please read the following:

1.       Team Senior: (Sunday-Thursday): Senior of the team is responsible for the call from 7am to 9pm.  However, he or she can defer consults to the night float if they are made after 8:30pm to give time for the senior resident to finish notes. The exception to deferring consults after 8:30pm is if the consult is urgent regarding a patient who needs immediate attention.  The senior resident must obtain the consultation from the ED and sign out to the next team. There must be a blank progress note to indicate which resident/attending the patient was signed out to.

2.       Team Senior: (Friday-Saturday): Senior of the team is responsible for the call from 7am-7am. However, he or she can defer consults to the day team if they are made after 6:30am. The exception to deferring consults after 6:30am is if the consult is urgent regarding a patient who needs immediate attention. The senior resident must obtain the consultation from the ED and sign out to the next team. There must be a blank progress note to indicate which resident/attending the patient was signed out to.

In summary:

• Consults can be deferred for night float at 6:30am and for Wards at 8:30pm.
• All ED consults must be written down and signed out to the coming team
• A blank note must be written indicating the resident/attending the patient will be signed out to
• It is not the ED's responsibility to call the coming team. It is the medicine team's responsibility to ensure the consult is seen in a reasonable time