Clinical Scenario - Telehealth Interview

Koalified · May 17, 2018

I had to take a scenario test during my interview. One part assesses your nursing critical thinking skills. Second part assesses your customer service skills. You would get a scenario where a person calls in with an issue like chest pain or slurred speech or a rash. You have to ask further questions to assess the pt and then determine if they need emergent care or an office appt today or office appointment sometime soon or if it can be managed at home.

Koalified · May 22, 2018

A pt may be calling in with chest pain. You use the proper algorithm in your software for chest pain. Ask assessment questions like where is the pain, when did it start, are you having pain now, how bad is the pain, does it radiate, what does it feel like, do you have any cardiac history. Depending on pts response, the software will guide you to what the pt should do. The choices could be call 911, tell pt to go to ED, consult the MD and take verbal order, tell pt to make a same day appt or an appt in a few days, or give some things the pt can do at home for the pain.

Parrhesia, BSN, RN · May 23, 2018

Thank you for the advice. Do you know what common clinical presentation can be done through telehealth and which ones can't?

I assume Chest pain can't, since it requires an actual physical assessment.

Any other examples?

Thank you.

ILoveHorsesRN, ADN · May 25, 2018

Thank you for the advice. Do you know what common clinical presentation can be done through telehealth and which ones can't?
I assume Chest pain can't, since it requires an actual physical assessment.
Any other examples?
Thank you.

What do you mean? As a telehealth nurse working for a large company we get chest pain calls all the time! It is common. Callers honestly don't know when to go to the ED! Depending on the type of job you are interviewing for, you will get all kinds of calls....from cough/cold to vomiting and chest pain. There could be 500 different reasons for a call. Most call centers use algorhythms like Koalified described. Why are you assuming you won't get chest pain calls? The challenge with telephone triage is you cannot see the person...that's why we ask very specific questions to determine if the caller needs ED, clinic visit or advice. You should have access to consult with an MD if needed if you are unsure of the outcome for the caller. You would be surprised what people call you for. They are calling to ask if they need an appointment, advice or the ED and it's your job to figure that out using your protocols.

ILoveHorsesRN, ADN · May 25, 2018

Hello,
I landed an interview opportunity with a telehealth company. I'm wondering if anyone working in ehealth/telehealth triage/intake could provide me with common* clinical scenarios that you would encounter at work and how you as a nurse would assess and respond to their presentation.
Thank you.

Hello again. I looked back at some of your posts and I see you are a new graduate. I would not recommend telephone triage as a new grad. You need some experience with bedside care first.