Story Posted: 2024-07-08
Hospital Highlights 2023-24: Emergency Services
From the St. Paul’s Hospital & SPH Foundation 2023-24 Annual Review.
.jpg)
St. Paul’s Hospital is home to the second-largest Emergency Department in Saskatoon. The Department has long been a point of support for both our city and our province, and we are proud to have strong partnerships with our community. In 2023, we formed a new partnership with the Saskatoon Tribal Council and the Sawēyihtotān Project Outreach group to create a supportive presence in our waiting room every night. They offer compassionate care to those in the community struggling with food and housing insecurities through advocacy, support and finding safe places to go once discharged from the Hospital.
The Emergency Department is home to the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic and the Emergency Department Addiction Counsellors (EDAC) Team. These invaluable resources provide opportunities for positive intervention to patients living with addictions. Our strong partnerships have increased positive outcomes for each person who presents to the Emergency Department, and have allowed us to better serve our patients.
This past year was a very busy one for Emergency, which saw an average of 114.8 patients per day visit the Department, as compared to 101.4 patients registered per day in 2022. The Department also saw an increase in acutely ill patients needing more intensive care. Our staffing complement was increased when ER hours were expanded for Unit Assistant, Continuing Care Assistant, Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Educator, and Nurse Clinician positions. Our department holds continuing education in high regard, and was pleased when many of our Registered Nurses participated in professional development opportunities to better their professional practice.
In 2023, we had the opportunity to bring new chairs into our waiting room. As well, new display cases will soon exhibit art supplied by children who attend the daycare located within the Hospital. We were also excited to complete a much-anticipated renovation to our trauma area.
Donor Support Advances Critical Care
With help from St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Draws, the ER was able to purchase a vein finder, treatment chairs and privacy screens for the triage area, and portable vital signs monitors to facilitate better patient comfort and experiences. St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s Cold Hands, Warm Hearts fundraising campaign enabled the ER and other units to distribute warm toques, mitts and hand warmers to hundreds of community members during bitterly cold weather. We are immensely grateful to our donors for supporting this program, and for believing in our Hospital’s mission to serve the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.