Vital signs after entering ER

[kjrn64]

I work for a hospital that has a policy to never allow a patient to sit, for even a moment, before they have had their vital signs taken. I understand the whole can't register prior to triage, but when 3-4 patients come in at one time, as an RN, can I not ask for chief complaints, do a quick visual assessment and take the sickest into triage first?

[loricatus]

Can't see why not. It seems to make sense to do what you suggest because you certainly can't do vitals on all at once and I see a potential liability issue if you do the first come, first serve method of vitals, while making the last stand and wait their turn if they were having, let's say, a CVA, MI...

Seems like a no brainer to me.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I don't understand how you could accomplish this. I do triage a lot. It is not unusual to have 5 or 6 new patients come through the door at one time. In my world you have to do the one that looks the sickest in line first, in this case. Otherwise it is first come, first served.

How can you take vital signs on 3 or 6 patients at one time? If they have given you a good method for doing this, fine. I'd like to know how they expect this to happen.

[rjflyn, ASN, RN]

In a tiny ER maybe. In mine no way. We can be 12 deep at times. We have pts that come in with chest pain that get their 12 lead EKG prior to seeing the triage nurse. And do you mean literally sit, or are we talking about going to the lobby? Never going to happen in any case, what about the stroke pt coming in the wheelchair, the person who cant walk. Sounds to me like a manager who has no clue about how to run a ED.

Rj