Use of “Finding Cards” to Improve Relative Experience on Arrival at an Emergency Department

Abstract

This report describes introducing “Finding Cards” as a solution to improve relatives’ experience. Arriving at an emergency department (ED) can feel daunting for relatives. The simple bespoke Finding Card is handed to the relative on arrival. The card can help relatives feel less overwhelmed when attempting to find their family member who is a patient within one of many subsections of the ED. The card helps the relative remember the patient location, it reassures and gives confidence that help will be available if they become lost, it empowers relatives to approach any staff member for help, it supports relatives to feel at ease. The Finding Card enables clinical staff to immediately know the location any lost relative is trying to find, minimizes the length of interruptions to health professionals, improving patient safety. This simple, cost-effective tool to improve relatives’ experience and limit interruptions, could easily be replicated in large EDs.