RME/Fast Tracks

[triageguy]

Just wondering if other ED using RME's / Fast Tracks get nursing assessments of patients that are cared for in those areas?...or if they are just staffed with Medical Assistants act????

Thanks everyone!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Our Fast Track uses LPNs and occasionally an RN. The triage nurse (RN) does a focused assessment before assigning the patients to the Fast Track area. When there is an RN in Fast Track and the triage RN is pressed for time, he/she may defer the assessment to the Fast Track RN. But bottom line, all of our patients receive a nursing assessment, period.

[boyfactory]

In triage, an RN sees the pt, then a full nursing assessment is done in the back by another RN...fast track or not.

Our ER does not staff LPN's. I've never worked in one that did. In fact, we do not have CNA's or MA's either. Only EMT-P's are hired now and the EMT-IV's are highly encouraged to go to school, but are not being let go if they do not opt to further their education.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

A pt comes in, they are triaged just like any other pt who 'walks in' (or hobbles in as the case may be for a minor injury like a sprained ankle). If minor, they are brought to fast track (either by the triage nurse, the charge, or nurses in the fast track area). They are assessed by an RN, all their nursing care (pills, injections, splinting--although splinting is sometimes done by an attending or resident--etc.) is delivered by an RN, and the discharge is done by an RN. Doc write all the orders, RNs carry them out. We have no LPNs in our ED.

[triageguy]

I appreciate all the input/responses, Thank you!

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

My ER is the same as psu_213 with the exception that we have a CNA (usually) that can do knee immobilizers, wrist splints, crutch instruction, wound/dried blood cleaning & dressings.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

My ER is the same as psu_213 with the exception that we have a CNA (usually) that can do knee immobilizers, wrist splints, crutch instruction, wound/dried blood cleaning & dressings.

I should clarify a bit...we have a tech that can do basic dressings and can put on our prefab splints, knee immobilizers, etc. He/She also does all the tranporting of pts. Nurses or doctors "make"/apply the fiberglass splints and the tech assists.