A phone triage nurse is a trained health-care professional who takes calls from people who are experiencing unpleasant symptoms but are unsure whether or not they need to see a doctor. To assess the severity of a person’s ailments and determine the need for additional care, a professional relies on his or her expert nursing knowledge. The majority of phone triage nurses work in hospitals, but some also work in call centers that act as overflow or after-hours response centers for a variety of clinics and private practices. For doctors and hospital staff, phone triage nursing is a very useful service, as knowledgeable workers can significantly reduce unnecessary appointments and emergency room overcrowding.
A phone triage nurse works at a computer desk with a hands-free phone headset in a typical call center. When a call comes in, the nurse answers it and gathers some basic information about the call’s nature. If a person appears to be in danger or is in excruciating pain, the nurse will transfer the call to an emergency response service. The phone triage nurse gathers information about the patient’s gender, age, and general concern after ruling out an emergency situation. Nurses must be able to speak calmly and clearly to gather information from sometimes frantic callers, which can be stressful at times.
The nurse enters data into a specialized computer program while speaking with a patient to help him or her determine the most appropriate questions to ask about symptoms. The phone triage nurse can usually follow the computer’s prompts to the letter, working through a list of questions. However, the nurse must still analyze responses as they come in so that he or she can assess subjective and nonverbal responses that may indicate a serious condition. The nurse can determine whether a caller needs to make an appointment, go to the emergency room, or treat a condition at home by gathering accurate information.
Anyone interested in working as a phone triage nurse should look into the specific entry requirements in their area. Most employees must have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, pass registered nurse certification exams, and have prior nursing experience. Many employers prefer to hire triage nurses with several years of practical, hands-on nursing experience so that they can quickly understand and respond to caller concerns. Furthermore, many national organizations offer free certification courses for aspiring phone triage nurses to help them advance their credentials.
A successful phone triage nurse may be able to advance to a supervisory position within a hospital or call center. A nurse’s job as a supervisor entails training new employees and conducting regular performance reviews to ensure that callers receive accurate information. Some seasoned phone triage nurses move into administrative roles, where they assist in the development of more efficient protocols and training materials.