Are the responsibilities of the Triage RN different than a regular nurse?
There are situations that may arise in emergency conditions where the Triage RN may need to treat patients. Triage nursing may mean administering contact with the patient either in person or over the phone. If it is a phone connection the triage nurse needs to prioritize the patient according to the incoming phone calls. Triage nursing then involves analyzing the symptoms the caller explains, and then advising of either a generalized treatment or a trip to the emergency room for immediate attention by the attending physician. In triage nursing individuals who come into the emergency room for treatment are processed first by a consultation with the Triage RN. It is up to the nurse to analyze each case that arrives according to their symptoms and make the decision which case needs immediate attention. The main duties do not call for the direct treatment of patients but if the facility is backed up or understaffed it does fall on the triage RN to treat patients as well. What kind of speci
