Communicating in hospital emergency departments: Volume 1

The emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) role has evolved since the 1980s, when it was introduced into emergency departments (EDs) in the UK (Tye 1997). Nowadays, ENPs see, treat and refer or discharge patients autonomously. They also document patient histories and are expected to communicate effectively with patients who have complex needs. The role has expanded for several reasons, including the need to reduce doctors' working hours, but mainly to make more flexible use of services. Meanwhile, as ED attendances increase (Thompson et aL 2010), ENPs are placed under increasing pressure and may be forced to spend less time with patients than was expected of them when the ENP role was originally devised. This can affect patient history taking and communication, and may lead to poorer patient outcomes and satisfaction.