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OBS Unit Patient Criteria Guidelines

Observation (OBS) unit patient criteria guidelines

Ideal patients for OBS unit - 4 South

(Expected discharge in 23-30 hours)

A. First Priority:

  1. Chest pain - improving pain with stable vitals. Not unstable angina or NSTEMI, no elevated troponin, No heparin, no nitro drip, no EKG changes
  2. TIA - weakness improving
  3. Headache
  4. Dizziness
  5. Syncope
  6. Seizure (new or pre-existing) assuming there is a return to normal mental status and no evidence of a significant complication (rhabdo, fracture etc)
  7. Nausea - vomiting - diarrhea - without abd pain, normal WBC
  8. Anemia- need Blood transfusion, no ongoing blood loss
  9. DVT - without complication - if cannot be discharged from ED.

B. Second Priority:

  1. Mild heart failure/ leg swelling- (without hypoxia) if expected dc in 24 hr
  2. Afib, not requiring iv infusion of Cardizem / amiodarone
  3. Hypertension, not requiring IV infusion
  4. Abd pain with negative CT abdomen, normal wbc
  5. Suspected GI bleed with Hb >10, no obvious sign of bleeding
  6. Mild COPD/ Asthma exacerbation (without hypoxia) - with expected dc in 24 hours
  7. Hyperglycemia, not requiring insulin drip, not in DKA, except discharge in 24 hours.

Not OBS unit appropriate

  1. Need Placement
  2. Alcohol withdrawal
  3. 1013/ 2013
  4. Fever, other infectious process
  5. Weakness unclear etiology
  6. Nursing home patient even if meets OBS unit criteria as they may not go back on certain days and after certain time in the day.
  7. Agitation, requiring restrains
  8. Acute on chronic pain
Last update: April 12, 2026