The emergency department is the front door of the hospital—and the pulse of the entire healthcare system. But in today’s world, that pulse is showing signs of distress. Rising patient volumes, workforce shortages, operational inefficiencies, and emotional fatigue have pushed EDs to their limits. When the old ways of working no longer work, it’s time to rethink them.

In Rewiring the Emergency Department, veteran nurse leader and author Regina Shupe, DNP, RN, shows how hospitals can transform their EDs into environments that are efficient, resilient, and rooted in compassion. Drawing on more than three decades of frontline and leadership experience, Shupe offers practical, actionable strategies to improve flow, strengthen teamwork, reduce burnout, and restore the heart of emergency care.

Through real-world examples, leadership lessons, and evidence-based practices, this book shows how to:

• Build a culture of loving care that elevates both staff and patient experience
• Improve retention by addressing burnout, trust, and leadership development
• Redesign onboarding to reduce turnover and accelerate belonging
• Streamline operations and break down silos for safer, smoother patient flow
• Lead change intentionally by aligning people, processes, and purpose

Rewiring the Emergency Department is more than a road map for operational Improvement; it’s a call to humanize emergency care. Its insights will create healthier, more connected, more sustainable EDs that benefit both the healthcare team members and the patients they serve…today and in the future.