thetank

Don't despair, you're still a newbie. It takes a long time to settle into triage nursing. With each call you will build your knowledge base and confidence. Take notes if you need to and trust in yourself. It's a very tough job, and it takes a long time to get used to it. I've been at it for 3.5 years and I'm still learning every day.

Yes, it's very different. How long have you been a triage nurse? Do you have a protocol to work from?

So true. Very very stressful.

Thanks for your reply. We've been asking for scripts to deal with rude callers, but mgmt has not responded. We've been working directly with the providers on this too. I think it might be getting a little better. My own attitude has changed as well. I've really been working on it.

So true. Focusing on the positive is the name of the game. I work at a large clinic for a family medicine / internal medicine / pediatrics group with 15 providers. There are four of us who work as triage RNs.

Hi there, Well, I like it when I actually get to do triage calls. I do not like it when people call us for directions to the office, to schedule office visits, to get narcotics refills, etc. I like the fast pace, I like the challenge of a difficult triage call. Even after doing this for 3.5 years, I still miss face to face contact with patients...but I do NOT miss the craziness of floor nursing. I will never ever return to floor nursing - too much stress, terrible ratios, crazy management. I work 8 AM to 5 PM M-F, and Sat 8-noon every 6-8 weeks or so. Mondays and Fridays are our heavy days, Tues Wed Thurs are a little lighter. You have to have a thick skin because patients can be really rude...but most patients are super nice.

Wow DorothyMay, transfer to the police? Nice. We are allowed to hang up on rude callers after giving them a warning too. Do you have certain scripts that you say when patients start getting rude?

I hear you Cape47 - great analogy. Yep, back to back calls are not a big deal...but having someone who has never done actual triage listen in, now that would be a challenge.

I've been an RN for 23 years, background in pediatrics, home care, family practice, internal medicine. This is my all day job, I work with 4 other telephone triage RNs in a large PCP office.

Any updates on this thread? What is Medcor?

How do you like it? I am not familiar with Lifehealth.

Well, I have to agree with BassCatchingNurse, it all depends. Telephone triage nursing is not easy...but it might be a nice change for you. I really like it when I get actual triage calls. I really don't like it when opioid-addicted patients curse and yell at me. I love my co-workers. I wish we had the option to work from home, but our manager is an *******, so that's never going to happen. It's not a noisy assembly-line hurry up environment, but I work in a large doctor's office. We can use the bathroom when we want to, we take one hour long uninterrupted lunches, and we work 8-5, no weekends, no holidays.

Thank you for replying. Of course they are nice until they are told no, then they are evil. Yep, I hate the overly nice ones too, they are Jekyll and Hyde. We keep praying for a new manager, but she's been there 5 years, don't think she's going anywhere. I've been watching for an opening within the network. I've not considered utilization review. What is that?

You are right fibroblast.

I work for a large family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine practice. There are 5 triage nurses, and we answer for 15 providers. We're connected to a big hospital corporation, I don't work from home.

How do you work from home as an RN for 6 figures in Indiana?

Hi there. I left floor nursing in 2009 and I would never ever return. I have worked in home care, as a school nurse, and now telephone triage. It took me a long time to get used to it, I really missed face to face contact with patients, and to be honest, I still do. However, I really like the normal hours, no weekends, no holidays. They always need floor nurses, so I wouldn't worry about being no longer hireable. We work with triage software that covers us, so no worries about triaging a patient as not acute but ends up needing emergent care. Plus, if there is ever a question, I FYI the encounter note to the provider. The bottom line is that it's always the provider's call anyway.

Hi there - it sounds like you and I have a very similar job. We average 50+ calls per 8 hours - back to back, non-stop, you name it, they ask it. Yes, it can be very stressful, and I am stunned at how mean and nasty patients can be. There are 4 of us, and we are out in the mix with the MAs. It's often hard to hear...we used to be back in a triage room, but our manager moved us out of there. (She is dreadful). Yes, we often feel like operators...people call for refills and even try to schedule appts through us...

You are so lucky - we answer live calls.

Hi there. I am new on the forum. I've been an RN since 1997, and also have a background mainly in peds. I've been a telephone triage nurse for 3+ years, and it's very tough...people don't realize how tough it is. The hardest part is how rude people are on the phone. I work for a large family practice (13 providers) in a large city, and man, it is rough. I much prefer face to face nursing, but at this point in my life, I am not willing to return to bedside nursing. Please let me know how you are doing.

I have been a telephone triage nurse for 3+ years for a large family practice. We take live incoming calls. We work from triage software. Two of our doctors are suboxone prescribers. I think the hardest part of this job has been the rudeness of callers. Many of them call asking to make an appt...so we have to transfer them to scheduling. Many ask for medication refills, so we have to explain our refill policy. The narcotics patients become evil on the phone...and if they do not get what they want, they call our manager and complain about us. I just got called in last week about this...our manager does NOT have our back. I've been an RN for 23 years, and I have done it all - bedside nursing for 15 yrs, home care for 2 yrs, school nursing for 2 yrs, and now this. While I prefer working face to face with patients, I will never return to bedside...and I like the hours and M-F 8-5 aspect of this job. I just need some help from all of you. How do you deal with the nasty patients when you don't have a manager who supports you?

I am here. Would love to talk with you about it. I've been a telephone triage nurse for over 3 years. Still haven't gotten used to the rude/mean callers. Need some help. Sigh.