Triage shifts: how long/how many pt.'s?

Specialties Emergency

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Specializes in ED.

When you triage, do you do it for a full shift? And if not for how long? Also how many pt's do you average per triage stint?

I am brand new to triage after having spent 1 1/2 years in the ED. Most of my fellow nurses do it for a full 12 hours. I was fried after 8 hours. I saw about 60 patients. We are expected to triage a pt. start to finish in about 6-7 minutes. Full set of vitals, major medical problems and assessment. By the way this is peds and it can be a real hassle to get vitals on an uncooperative kid!:nurse:

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Specializes in ER.

I've never not triaged the whole shift. In fact, I can rarely get relief for bathroom breaks when I'm in triage. In my experience and working with the computer system we have here, if all goes extremely smoothly (i.e. pt has no medical history and takes no meds, and falls between the ages of 15-75 :D) you can triage in about 5 minutes. However, most take between 5-8 minutes. You learn pretty quickly to cut people off, politely of course, when they start to ramble off track.

All that said, I hate triage! I was stuck there for weeks after tearing my ACL and needing light duty. I nearly went insane. I would rather have just about any pt assignment than have to listen to people scream about the wait time.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
When you triage, do you do it for a full shift? And if not for how long? Also how many pt's do you average per triage stint?

I am brand new to triage after having spent 1 1/2 years in the ED. Most of my fellow nurses do it for a full 12 hours. I was fried after 8 hours. I saw about 60 patients. We are expected to triage a pt. start to finish in about 6-7 minutes. Full set of vitals, major medical problems and assessment. By the way this is peds and it can be a real hassle to get vitals on an uncooperative kid!:nurse:

You are new to triage...it will get better. You'll get a system down and things will flow more smoothly. You'll hone you're questions and assessment skills. But most places I have worked have called triage the penalty box....:lol2:.

It's busy and it stinks......:hug:you'll be fine....:heartbeat

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I firmly believe no one should be in triage for more than 8 continuous hours unless your ER is some magical DisneyWorld place.

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Specializes in ED.

ummm, no. no magical wonderland..! We see over 50,0000 pt.s a year:eek:

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Triage can be 4 to 12 hours . We have no time requirement for triaging, just that you jump to airway and chest pain issues before stubbed toes.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

During season our triage is 16 hrs and off season it's 12 hrs, we have 3 triage nurses and they work the schedule out amongst themselves, I've filled in a few times and tend to attract the odd admits so I've been told to stay on the dark side :lol2:

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Specializes in Oncology, Emergency.

Triage is my least favorite area in the department. Some people think its an easy job and i have seen people jostle to get the assignment and i gladly take my 4 patients at a time. We do 8 hr shifts and that's the maximum i have done triage. We see approx120 patients a day so on my Night shift we have probably 35-40 patients; 30 walk ins and 5 ambulances. The only good thing is that we have a nurse who triages the ambulances and they will help the triage nurse. We also have a good team on my shift and staff will also help by triaging a patient to give the triage nurse a break. When it comes to triage we try keep it less than 10 minutes but as some said those babies will drive you nuts so when i triage babies i will take them straight to a room after i get a wait and finish the triage in the room.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

The ED I work in does 4 hour slots so that no one burns out. 12 hours is toooooo long.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

I triaged 12 hours at a time 3 days a week for 2 years. I love triage it's my favorite place in the ER!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

God bless ya mmutk!

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Specializes in ED staff.

Triage 12 hour shifts 3 times a week. Love it!

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