qualifications for telephone triage

Specialties Triage

Published

I am 43 years old. I am a recent widow and have a 14 year old son. After my husband died {cancer} I quit my job as telephone triage nurse for a large medical school. I've been an LPN for 26 years and 17 as the triage nurse. I am returning to college in January and hope to go on and obtain a degree as a physicans assistant. Obviously I need to suopport myself and my son. I am looking into starting a homebased telephone triage service for a few local family practices. I am gathering information about grants etc...to get started.

According to the guidlines from the NC board of nursing this role appears to be within the scope of LPN's. I never had anyone question that during my 17 years at the medical center. However reading all of these posts makes me wonder. I don't see any from LPN's. Could anyone shed any light on this for me? I am very enthused and excited about starting this new venture, but sure don't want to find out that LPN's are not qualified to practice this! Please help!

Thanks for any feedback you can offer.

Sincerely, Kim Osborne

I too can only tell you the qualifications for my job.

RN, with at least 4 years experience in a clinical setting. Preferably ER, ICU/CCU, cardiac

I was triage nurse in our family practice clinic for two years. I am an LPN with hospital, long term care and prison experience. It worked very well for us, I used a triage manual and a computer program and also had standing orders and protocol established for the job I was doing. Good luck to you. Sherri

I am a Manager of a Home based Triage Company in NC. I checked with our board of nursing when we decided to hire LPNs to triage calls. The board said there was no set rule, however if we did hire LPNs they would have to be closely supervisor by an RN and an RN would have to agree with and countersign their assessments as is regulation in NC. Hope this helps. HDJRD1

Hello...I am a soon to be new grad (RN) in May. Where is your company located and what are your requirements? Due to some knee problems, phone triage would be an ideal situation for me. Could you email me some information? I am very interested and I live in the Raleigh Area. Thanks!

I would like to look into a career as a telephone nurse. I have been a nurse for 13 years and am tired of the floor. I do have experience as a cardiac nurse. Can anyone tell me how to get started with this? I can't seem to find the information I need. Thanks!:wink2:

You should check the nurse pracitce act in your state. In WI, assessment is in the realm of RNs and not LPNs. LPNs can gather data but not make any assessment based on that data.

I am an LVN and do phone triage and walk in triage for our pediatric office. We are a subsidy of a big childrens hospital and a group of practices with in that subsidy. I do telephone triage for all 4 practices. I can tell you this...RN's are preferred, LVN's are equally equipped, and MA's are only allowed to do the 3 step process in a bind (contact parents, take info, ask MD, call parents back with advice).

I can only tell you of the requirements of my employer-

1- at least 3 years clinical experience

2- Registerd Nurse

3- previous experience in one of the following- ER, CARDIAC CARE, CRITICAL CARE OR INTENSIVE CARE

4- No previous experience in telephone triage necessary- training provided.:D[/quote

Would you mind sharing what company you are working for? I have just recently moved to a rural area with out alot of nursing positions open. I am working part time ER currently, but need something to go along with it. Any feedback/advice/recommendations/ would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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