An emergency department is experiencing an increase in patient wait times and a decrease in patient satisfaction scores. After a preliminary round of data gathering, the nurse leader organizes a committee to perform a comprehensive review. What is the MOST effective initial action for the committee to take in order to start the process improvement?
Conduct a root cause analysis to determine the underlying reasons for the increased wait times and decreased patient satisfaction.
Revise the scheduling system for the nursing staff.
Immediately expand the staff during peak hours.
Implement a top-down change in leadership practices.