[In-hospital triage in 2022]

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• In-hospital triage is the initial critical step in emergency department (ED) visits.
• Triage serves as the primary mechanism for aligning medical and nursing resources with high patient demand.
• Current ED operations often rely on triage nurses who may seek medical advice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the evolving role of healthcare professionals in emergency department triage.
• To address the challenges posed by increasing ED visit volumes and patient care heterogeneity.
• To investigate the potential benefits of a collaborative medical-nursing approach in triage.

Main Methods:

• Review of current emergency department triage protocols.
• Analysis of patient flow and resource allocation models.
• Examination of the impact of increasing emergency room demand on triage systems.

Main Results:

• The traditional triage system faces challenges due to rising patient numbers and varied care requirements.
• A collaborative medical-nursing tandem model is increasingly being recognized as a necessary adaptation.
• This model aims to optimize resource matching and improve patient care delivery.

Conclusions:

• The increasing complexity and volume of emergency department visits necessitate a re-evaluation of triage strategies.
• A medical-nursing tandem approach shows promise in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency care.
• This collaborative model is vital for meeting the dynamic demands of modern emergency medicine.