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Ellis cuts ER wait times while building stronger nursing culture

Monday, April 27, 2026

Ellis Medicine’s Emergency Department has improved the amount of time it takes a patient to see a physician and the length of a patient’s stay.

The hospital’s improvements, according to Shannon DuJack, BSN, RN, Ellis Medicine Emergency Department nurse manager, are the result of several contributing factors.

“We developed a collaborative relationship with our physicians so we’re all working towards the same goal,” she said. “We’re also consistently changing our processes. If we think we can improve something we will, and our frontline staff are always involved in those decisions.”

DuJack added that those in the community experience the benefits of a better functioning Emergency Department at Ellis Medicine.

“When patients spend less time in the Emergency Department, that means they’re able to either go home quicker or get settled in a more comfortable environment if they’re staying in the hospital,” DuJack said.

Improving the culture among the nurses at Ellis Medicine has also improved patient flow and overall care.

“Over the past two to three years, the culture of nursing has changed, and we’ve developed a cohesive team that is welcoming,” she said. “We’ve also converted a lot of travel nurses to join our staff because of our welcoming environment.”

Laura Heaney, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing at Ellis Medicine, said the friendly environment extends beyond the nursing team.

“I’ve worked at other facilities and one of the things that makes Ellis unique is that everyone regardless of their position says ‘hello’ and ‘how are you?’” Heaney said. “Everyone takes the time to acknowledge each other, which is unique in a hospital setting.”

Heaney said the hospital is dedicated to improving the staff environment, which benefits both its employees and patients.

“As we improve our staff environment, the staff takes better care of our patients as a result,” she said. “While the numbers are important, our main focus is taking really great care of our patients and staff, and by doing so the numbers fall into place on their own.”

When it comes to retaining and recruiting nursing staff, DuJack said there are more nurses at Ellis Medicine who are being hired as opposed to those who decide to leave the hospital.

“We’re currently hiring two nurses for each one who leaves, which is a great recruitment and retention rate,” she said. “We’re also not seeing the burnout or turnover that you hear about, which all comes down to the culture and community.”

Heaney said recognizing nursing staff who go above and beyond is just one of the ways the hospital works to create a positive working environment.

“We give out awards when someone does a great job and even though they’re working hard all the time, positive reinforcement makes them feel good about working here,” she said. “Our goal with the nursing staff is to build them up and make them better than we are because they’ll be the ones who will take over the department someday.”

Both DuJack and Heaney hope the nursing department continues to make improvements and experience high patient satisfaction rates.

“For me, I feel like a mother figure to the nurses, and I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and ownership for the improvements and culture that we’ve created,” DuJack said. “My hope is that we continue to do a great job and sustain what we’re doing.”

Heaney added, “I want the community to feel confident and want to come here.”

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By ANN FRIEDMAN, Contributing Writer, The Daily Gazette

This article originally appeared in the print edition of The Daily Gazette on Sunday, April 26. It is re-posed here in celebration of 2026 Nurses Week

 

 

 

 

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