Triage Poll

I would first try to explain what the condition was a little more if they actually said they did not know. I would check their med list for any clues, but a lot of the common siezure meds are also used for other conditions. After explaining a little more in depth what the condition was i.e. passing out, uncontrolled shaking, loss of time and reviewed the meds, then I would check "no" or write next to it, if the patient was still unclear "I don't know".

This of course is taking for granted that the patient is A & O x 3 with no ETOH on board and no chance of recent head injury. In these cases it is a different story all together.

I would quote what they said or write "patient unclear"

Rick,

I check the box and then put a question mark after it, or write pt.unsure. We don't have much room but there is a little room for a couple of words after each check box.
Hey what happened anyway?

I would have checked it and written patient unsure, too. BUT, if the patient said, "I think so", that is enough info to either check yes or investigate further. On floor admission history, I'd let a doc know what the patient told me and document what the patient told me and that I passed the info on to the doc. But then again, you're talking about triaging, eh?

I use the quotation marks a whole bunch and questions marks too. All of our old charts are now on computer so the doc can pull them up by medical recoerd number for further clarification. Half the time what the patient and/or family thinks is seizure activity isn't anyway.

Hard to say what I would do. In the interest of CYA I think it is a good idea to check the box any time the patient is unclear in answering. Some of our older patients w/o a psych hx can be pretty obtuse in their answers. Next time just shoot 'em. And shoot the doc too. Gary

Rick,

Don't feel alone. I swear that psyc. facilities will use amny excuse possible to delay the patient. I deal with this constantly expecially with state and criminal facilities. Patients blood sugar is 121, not a known diabetic but just ate 4 candy bars...won't take patient until BS is normal. WBC's in urine...won't take patient because they are not medically cleared......I expecially like the alcoholics with liver functions off the wall, they want us to fix them Yea, right---I'll way my magic wand----

Sorry, pet peave----I'm always very, very careful what I write on a psyc. patients chart for that very reason.