DIXIE B WADE

I work Telephone Triage for a large university health system ,we have a medical director and approved computerized protocols with the abilty to keep records of callers.We are recorded so we can have proof fwhat we have told the pt and the recordings have even been used for court cases,usually for child abuse cases. We can also make appointments in our system for our pt or pt that are able to come to us through their insurance, private pay and medicare/ medicaid. Our only real problem is out side ERs (out of county ,out of system,out of state even out of country callers) taking up our time and over loading out call center. We recently got the OK to ask if they are part of our system , the insurance co we take call for or with the Center for Health Care services,if they are not we can tell them to call their Dr ,or go to the nearest ER if they are ill. I have been a nurse for 35 years I have worked ER, NICU, Home Health,physical rehab. Nurses have to have expirence it is not the job for new nurses,ya gotta be seasoned. I love my job, I can impact a lot of lives in a day I can educate and direct for care . I have had pts call to say I saved their lives. I even get a good laugh a times.

I wear scrubs colorful cute ones, I work telephone triage but it helps just oo have clothes ready to go all the time. I can also wear street clothes (no denim). If I worked another area in our hospital system I would dress in scrubs . Besides I wear a badge with a 1inch bright blue R.N. on it. Non pt care employees don't wear scrubs.:smilecoffeecup:

Those patients on the other end of my Triage phone line that are sick,I really can help them. Plus I'm not exposed to all those cooties I have been exposed to over the last 30 years or so. Still gonna wash my hands but just cos I wanna.I really did enjoy my NICU and ER patients,but Im right where I want to be now. No more :barf01:

It is time for "no more Miz Nice Guy". I have been in this spot before, the 2 problems with 2 different people. The smelly one I just got fed up with her sitting on the counter in the nurses station,with her chronic diarrhea, body odor and bad breath.I bought her deoderant soap and tooth paste. She acted like she didn't know what I was talking about, I was pretty blunt (We had tried the sensitive approch before) We are tired of the smell and the fact that you don't care about the rest of us, since "the boss" won't say anything I have to. When an ER pt tells me you smell to bad to take care of her that is a sign you have gone over the line. If you have a health problem see a doctor, if you just don't care tell me so we can go to HR. I'm not saying you will be as fortunate but "dirty sally" quit the nexy week, not sure where she went but since she didnt care neither did I The co worker going to my manager was a male clerk, he knew I had a problem with domestic abuse. He told her I should not be caring for them because I felt to much empathy for the victim due to the one time my husband hit me I packed my bags and moved out. I have NO tolerance and he felt it was wrong of me. There again I had to stand up and say something. He kept a distance from me for a long time . We get along now but I don't think he will step on anyones toes again. Good luck!

The comment is really meant as one of concern. I watched a young nurse recap an insulin syringe after givng my husbands injection yesterday. So it should be taken as it was meant, an attempt at a humorus remark to perhaps make this nurse to think before she handles sharps.

Are you rummaging around in the sharps disposal? I have been a nurse for 34 yrs,ER and NICU, I have had 3 sticks in all those years.

I work in a call center that answers for some insurance and mediciad co. We do a lot of health teaching and helping people decide if they need ED or not( it ALWAYS left up to them, we don't say then cant go). Our ER is the only level 1 in the a200+ area and is ALWAYS packed. If you are really sick you get seen but we try to help the pt with a sorethroat stay home and be sick in as much comfort as possible. Then we can make them an appointment the next day.We also do a lot of education, the new parent with the constipated new born,or the newly Dx diabetic that needs encouragment and better explanation of the diet ,etc. We also call the surgeons if pt calls from home with a post op problem, the Drs really like it because before a clerk just paged them and they had to call the pt. We can triage give them a picture of the pt problem, and then we can call the Pt with instructions , or they can call the pt if they like. We can call Rx in for them also. I really enjoy it. We have someone listening to a % of our calls and critique them. If you really like a structured work environment OPTUM might be the place for.It just wasn't my cup of tea. I am still looking for a core curriculum for the Triage certification. There doent seem to be one, any wat... HAVE A GOOD EVENING

Yes, I am a Telephone Triage nurse.We are recorded, but we do not have anyone sitting at another computer listening and watching as we triage. Our director can pull the call up on the computer in her office if there are any questions about a call . I am in San Antonio,Texas we triage for the University hospital pts, make appointments to clinics,also answer for some inusrance companies. As I told the director when I left Optum, I like being a little fish in a little pond.She understood. We work hard ,do it properly but we are more laid back.Thanks for the response.

I worked for Optum for 4 months. I had been in a small call center for 5 years:nurse: . Optum seemed like a dream job to me...BUT I found myself a little fish in a great big pond,or gold fish bowl. They hear every word, can watch every key stoke and don't get back from lunch even 1 minute late. I am sure there are people that can work this way,but it ain't me. I am back in my little pound, we police ourselves, self schedule and cover if need be. If lunch runs over few minutes,we just recall the times we did't go to lunch.