Looking to Start a Career in Healthcare? Become a Triage Nurse.
Triage nurses play a vital role in the medical field. While working in a hospital, the triage nurse is first responsible for making an initial assessment, including a quick physical and mental evaluation, of all incoming patients in the emergency room.
To be successful in this position, you must be able to make fast decisions about the order in which patients need to receive treatment based on their medical needs. While this may seem like an easy task, it can be hard for many to handle the pressures of working in a continuously hectic and chaotic environment.
Education and Certification Requirements
To begin working in triage, you should complete a nursing degree program at an accredited school. Once you attain a formal degree, you can sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Earning an RN license will allow you to practice in a variety of settings.
Responsibilities of a Triage Nurse
As a triage nurse, you will need to understand how to quickly and correctly prioritize which patients will be seen in what order in accordance with need. The priority level of a patient depends on where their injury is sustained and is sorted by low priority, high priority, very high priority, and highest priority. Other daily responsibilities will include:
- Writing down relevant medical history
- Identifying whether a patient takes medications or suffers from allergies
- Measuring a patient’s weight, blood pressure, height, heart rate, and body temperature
- Cleaning and bandaging wounds
- Taking blood samples
- Providing patients with medications
- Stocking medical equipment supplies
- Moving patients to proper location
As more of the population gain access to healthcare, the demand for nurses working in the triage department continues to rise. Although the work environment can be stressful, you will be part of a rewarding career, by helping patients on a daily basis who are injured or ill.
If you’re looking to begin a career as a triage nurse, we can assist you with the resources you need. At HealthCare Support (HSS), we pride ourselves on being a trusted employment partner to many of the nation’s top healthcare organizations.
Our team of healthcare recruiters can help match you to employment opportunities which can help advance your career in both clinical and non-clinical settings. To discuss recruiting options with HSS, contact us today by calling 407-478-0332.