Essentials for the Triage Nurse

This is a concise, user-friendly orientation guide and reference for new and seasoned nurses, paramedics, preceptors, educators, management teams, and anyone else in triage situations. It features a consistent format with pithy information guidelines covering key processes and practices Triage Nurses use daily. Chapters address core elements of triage such as tips for success for triage orientees and triage preceptors, point-of-entry, evaluation processes, understanding a variety of acuity scales, "red-flag" diagnoses and how to handle them, coordination and communication with other health care team members, documentation guidelines, and care considerations for special populations. Practical information on all areas of triage includes coverage of emergency department and urgent care triage. The guide addresses care considerations for such specialized populations as geriatric, paediatric, and individuals with disabilities. Included are adult teaching and learning principles, legal concerns, customer service tips, compassion fatigue, core measures, and case studies. The guide covers fostering critical thinking skills, electronic medical record, provider in triage, trauma, patient and staff safety, and much more. Information is organized in brief, bulleted "bites" for knowledge at a glance. This book was originally published under the Fast Facts series by Springer Publishing Company.