Non-Urgent Emergency Department Use: Exploring the Perceptions, Emotions, and Behaviours of Emergency Healthcare Providers

Many individuals seek care at emergency departments (EDs) for health concerns that could be managed in non-ED settings. ED healthcare providers (HCPs) often describe these visits as non-urgent. While previous research explored non-urgent ED use from the patient perspective, less is known about how HCPs experience and respond to such encounters. This thesis examines ED HCPs’ perceptions, emotional responses, and behaviours related to non-urgent ED use. A narrative review identified three themes: (1) professional interpretations and explanations of non-urgent ED use; (2) affective reactions to non-urgent ED use; and (3) behavioural expressions toward non-urgent ED attenders. A secondary analysis of an interpretive descriptive study involving 28 HCPs revealed that emotional responses existed on a dynamic continuum and were influenced by patient- and system-level factors. These emotions influenced clinical behaviour and decision-making. The findings underscore the need for interventions that support ED HCPs, enhance patient care, and optimize ED utilization.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Streef, Jillian

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• McIntyre, Amanda

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38494

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38494