A triage nurse is a trained medical professional who manages and sorts patients according to the level of care they require. Triage nursing began on the battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars, when medics desperately tried to save as many casualties as possible through a well-organized medical system. A triage nurse is now a common sight in many emergency rooms and hospitals, and she assists in determining which patients require treatment in which order.
Triage, which comes from a French verb that means “to sort,” began as a military medical technique. Field medical clinics could be overwhelmed hundreds, if not thousands, of casualties during large-scale battles and military operations. The system quickly expanded to include the management of large-scale disasters, such as train derailments or earthquake victims, and eventually filtered into nearly all types of emergency care. Patients are analyzed and grouped severity of illness or injury in the triage system; triage categories vary medical system, but the basic divisions are those who are dead or beyond care, those who may be saved with immediate attention, those who are seriously ill or wounded but can wait, and those who may need care but can safely be delayed.
The person in charge of categorical determinations is a triage nurse. A triage nurse usually has a nursing degree with a specialty in triage in addition to general nursing training. These nurses are skilled at quickly analyzing a patient’s symptoms in order to place them in the appropriate triage slot. A good triage nurse can help save lives ensuring that critically injured or ill patients receive the best care possible as quickly as possible.
Though triage is still used in military clinics and for disaster relief, triage nurses are now very common in hospital emergency rooms and urgent care clinics. Soon after checking into the hospital, triage nurses are frequently the first medical specialist a patient sees. A triage nurse will typically sit down with a patient and obtain an initial description of symptoms, check vital signs, and assess for critical injury or illness symptoms. This information may be entered into computer software that determines triage position in some modern facilities, while in others, the triage nurse is solely responsible for making care decisions.
People who are unsure whether or not they should go to an emergency room or clinic can call a triage nurse. In large cities, emergency room crowding can become a serious issue, causing serious ill or injured patients to wait longer for care. Telephone triage may be available to answer questions and provide instructions for home care for those who do not require emergency services; they may also be able to schedule appointments for patients who require immediate attention over the phone. Calling a triage nurse can help you figure out if your symptoms warrant a trip to the ER.