Triage Nursing Jobs
What is a Triage Nurse?
A triage nurse is typically a registered nurse (RN) trained to assess patients upon arrival or initial contact—whether in person at an Emergency Room or physician's office, over the phone or even via telehealth. Their primary role is to evaluate the severity of a patient’s condition and determine the urgency of care needed. This process is known as triaging, which comes from the French word trier, meaning “to sort.”
What does a Triage Nurse do?
Key job responsibilities for a triage nurse may include:
Initial Patient Assessment: Conduct focused evaluations, including taking vital signs and reviewing symptoms.
Prioritization of Care: Use standardized tools like the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) or or other systems to assign urgency levels.
Immediate Interventions: Provide basic medical care such as oxygen therapy, wound management, or pain relief when necessary.
Communication: Relay critical information to physicians and other healthcare team members.
Documentation: Accurately record symptoms, assessments, and triage decisions.
Patient Education: Explain wait times, next steps, and basic health information to patients and families.
How to Work as a Triage Nurse
Working as a triage nurse offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact at the very first point of patient care. It’s a position that combines compassion with decisiveness, helping ensure that those in greatest need receive timely attention. Triage nurses also play a vital role in streamlining healthcare delivery, improving patient outcomes while developing strong communication and leadership skills.
Skills and qualifications needed:
Strong clinical judgment and decision-making skills
Ability to remain calm under pressure
Excellent communication and documentation abilities
Familiarity with triage protocols and electronic medical records
Current certifications and nursing license
Where Do Triage Nurses Work?
Triage nurses are found in a variety of healthcare environments, including but not limited to:
Emergency departments
Urgent care centers
Telehealth services
Call centers
Disaster response sites
Clinics and physician offices
Insurance companies
Your Career, Your Way
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