Triage Quailifications

[Kidrn911]

I was just talking with a CNA and she told me she was in triage for the first time. I assumed she was working in conjunction with an RN. I was wrong. She was actually triaging patients by herself. I tried to explain to her the dangers of a CNA triaging. That it was an area that she is not truly quailified in. She didn't buy it, she said "Well the hospital must think I am quailified if they had me do it". Now I worked at this hospital before, I also took my daughter there for croup when we first moved to the area. The place is truly a dump. They didn't know how to treat croup. They also did somethings that were very unprofessional that I had to leave because I was scared for my nursing liscense. The scariest was they sent a teenager to the regular peds unit that OD on Xanax. They lied to poison control, and told them she was going to ICU and will be monitored. The only monitor on the peds unit was a pulse ox. Her regular physician had to come in to get her transferred to the unit.

This CNA never had any previous training in triage. She only had her CNA since Nov 06. She didn't know anything about EMTLA laws. She was signing the acuity level and so forth.

Maybe I am just lucky, but both ER in different cities required only an RN in triage, had a specfic triage class we had to attend, and also had 12 hours of triage orientation and had to be at the hospital for at least 6 months.

What were your quailifications? Do believe it is nuts to send a CNA out to triage and especially do it with no training?

[Altra, BSN, RN]

An unlicensed person in triage???? Oh, wow ...

I'd run. Quickly.

[jojotoo, RN]

WHAT???? This is insane!

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

:eek::eek::eek:

I was just talking with a CNA and she told me she was in triage for the first time. I assumed she was working in conjunction with an RN. I was wrong. She was actually triaging patients by herself. I tried to explain to her the dangers of a CNA triaging. That it was an area that she is not truly quailified in. She didn't buy it, she said "Well the hospital must think I am quailified if they had me do it". Now I worked at this hospital before, I also took my daughter there for croup when we first moved to the area. The place is truly a dump. They didn't know how to treat croup. They also did somethings that were very unprofessional that I had to leave because I was scared for my nursing liscense. The scariest was they sent a teenager to the regular peds unit that OD on Xanax. They lied to poison control, and told them she was going to ICU and will be monitored. The only monitor on the peds unit was a pulse ox. Her regular physician had to come in to get her transferred to the unit.

This CNA never had any previous training in triage. She only had her CNA since Nov 06. She didn't know anything about EMTLA laws. She was signing the acuity level and so forth.

Maybe I am just lucky, but both ER in different cities required only an RN in triage, had a specfic triage class we had to attend, and also had 12 hours of triage orientation and had to be at the hospital for at least 6 months.

What were your quailifications? Do believe it is nuts to send a CNA out to triage and especially do it with no training?

[RunnerRN, BSN, RN]

Oh my. This is going to catch up to both the hospital and the CNA in the end. The idea that "the hospital wouldn't put me anywhere that I'm not qualified" is akin to saying "the hospital is trying to protect my license" RIIIIIIGHT.

[bigsyis]

Great merciful heavens!!! I wonder if the nursing shortage there is that bad, or if they are just too cheap too staff an RN in Triage? One lawsuit, and they will wish they had opted for an RN.

I worked with 3 LPNs in ER for a few years who had each been there nearly 20 years. They were competent, beyond question, to triage. They were actually better than a couple of RNs.

[LeesieBug]

WOW.

Even NURSES in our unit can't do triage until at least 6 months in the dept....can't do it on their own until about one year.

[Kidrn911]

Great merciful heavens!!! I wonder if the nursing shortage there is that bad, or if they are just too cheap too staff an RN in Triage? One lawsuit, and they will wish they had opted for an RN.

I worked with 3 LPNs in ER for a few years who had each been there nearly 20 years. They were competent, beyond question, to triage. They were actually better than a couple of RNs.

The nursing shortage isn't horrible, it is just seriously the hospital administration is morons:uhoh3:

[ecat81]

In our ED only RN's with atleast a year experience in our ED can triage out front. But EMS that comes in usually whoever has the room triages the pt.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Of course, only RNs can triage in my ED- that's a standard everywhere...but an interesting side note, our triage nurses just work triage and do not work in the back EVER, nor are they required to have ER experience before getting hired to do triage. Most of our triage nurses have worked ER a LONG time ago, but there are a few who have never worked ER and my god, does it show!

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

i've used non RNs to triage at events , but that's a different case mix and the none RNs have been student health professionals and /or experienced EMTs - the acuity and waits are lower and usually there is easy access to a Nuses or Doc if there are queiries

very very scary to see it in hospital though - world of excrement should there be an adverse incident

[Yvette Acute ER RN]

Just when I thought I couldn't be surprised......WHAM....

A CNA performing triage....I guess 5 weeks of total medical education is enough to determine acuity....

I would RUN not walk to another facility.