Triage?

FSZ Student Nurse, RN · Feb 18, 2018

I work at a doctor's office, and the medical assistants use the word "triage" so loosely. To them it means just taking the patient's back into the room and taking their vitals. I have been correcting them, but they still tell the patients that they are "triaging" them. Should I keep correcting them?
In my old job, it was called "rooming". I would "room patients" when I took them back to take their vitals. I'm just concerned that someday they will write on their resume that they "triaged" patients, and then end up at a job expected to actually be triaging patients and being in over their head. Is it ok for them to keep telling patients that they are "triaging them"?
At your facility, what do you call it when you take patients back into the room and just take their vitals?

I've also worked in a doctor's office before. And, the MAs called it "triaging" there as well.

I got very confused the first few times I heard it because no one seemed to be in immediate distress at the time, and I couldn't figure out why they were triaging folks who were coming in for a well-visit.

FSZ Student Nurse, RN · Feb 18, 2018

From an article by the American Academy of Family Physicians detailing what is within an MAs scope of practice:

Triage patients over the telephone using a protocol to determine the acuity of the visit and the visit-length for scheduling purposes.

Seems to me the word "triage" is being used slightly differently here. Triage by an RN in an ED refers to determining patient acuity, so you know who to treat first. Triage for MAs *seems* to mean determining patient acuity, so you know approximately how long the visit will take.

But, I'm still not sure how "rooming" a patient is considered "triaging", even by this definition.

inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Feb 19, 2018

but is this the hill you want to die on?

Profound.

JKL33 · Feb 19, 2018

From an article by the American Academy of Family Physicians detailing what is within an MAs scope of practice:
Seems to me the word "triage" is being used slightly differently here. Triage by an RN in an ED refers to determining patient acuity, so you know who to treat first. Triage for MAs *seems* to mean determining patient acuity, so you know approximately how long the visit will take.
But, I'm still not sure how "rooming" a patient is considered "triaging", even by this definition.

Haven't worked in an office but I assume that quote is referring to not even really individual acuity but more like new patient visit, established patient, sick visit, follow-up, annual visit, etc.

Neats, BSN · Feb 19, 2018

HeHeHe...again you all make me laugh. Well although it is not triage in the sense of professionals use this term it appears that in MA school this is how they are taught. We think of triage as a sense of urgency during an emergency or mass casualty.

If this is all you are worried about from the staff then my hat is off to you for running a tight ship. If this is just a quirky picky item you dislike then you have to learn to pick your battles...to me this is one I would not pick for I would just be grateful that the MA's are getting the patients vitals (I will call that pre-triage).

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 19, 2018

If this is all you are worried about from the staff then my hat is off to you for running a tight ship.

I can't speak for others, but my capacity for giving ***** is virtually endless. I could care about this issue, as well as multiple others. AT THE SAME TIME, even!

sevensonnets · Feb 19, 2018

I don't think you have to worry much about them putting "triage" on their resumes. As medical assistants they are 100% not going to be applying for jobs that require actual triage.

Davey Do · Feb 20, 2018

I can't speak for others, but my capacity for giving ***** is virtually endless. I could care about this issue, as well as multiple others. AT THE SAME TIME, even!

Yep. That's called "neurosis".

We neurotics build castles.

"A neurotic is a man who builds a castle in the air. A psychotic is the man who lives in it. A psychiatrist is the man who collects the rent."

-Jerome Lawrence

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 20, 2018

I knew I could count on you, Davey.

bunnylovinggrl · Feb 24, 2018

I try to respectfully just let them know, in a "by the way, I was taught..." tone. I wonder if it's something they learned in MA school or something the doctor told them they were doing. English is the second language of our doctor and I've heard him call it triage too. I'm wondering if it's something lost in translation or he doesn't know the English word for it?

I don't want to cause too much ruckus. There's already some tension in the office because the staff turnover has caused many mistakes to be made by staff. The MA was put in front desk duty since I was hired, and she's also pretty stressed out because of the new responsibilities. Our office manager also transferred to a new office, so we only have a temporary office manager. We were supposed to hire another front desk person, but hiring has frozen, and I was told that the doctor doesn't want to hire a new manager or front desk person now.

Don't even get me started about the medical records problems we have... the doctor types with his index fingers so he has A LOT of notes that he never finished because he types less than 40 wpm. There is a long list of more than 50 people who are waiting for their medical records and it is the MA's duty to keep track of them and "make up excuses" when people call requesting for MRs, why they can't receive them. I feel so sorry for her.