Hi Sherry,

WE use a five-tier triage scale in Australia, similar to the
Canadian triage scale, for further info see:
http://www.acem.org.au/open/documents/triage.htm
Time to triage is not as big an issue as in our department patients
see the triage nurse first. Usually the only time there is a delay
in triage is when the proverbial 'bus load' of patients turns up all
at once, but even so urgent cases usually get recognised and triaged
reasonably quickly.

Our senior medical officers check all path/radiology reports for d/c
ED patients and will contact the patient and recall as necessary ie
if treatment can be done at home then the patient is urged to go to
their GP (or attend ED if the GP is not an option, or home treatment
is not appropriate). The patient's GP can obtain the results. Could
I suggest that since your medical officers are the ones ORDERING
any/all tests then it is their duty of care to perform the follow
up, not the clerks?

Sadly, in my state there is no financial distinction for specialty
nurses - there is a 'certificate' allowance supposedly (for
specialty qualifications) but it's a paltry amount and is on trial
only, which means by the time human resources get it figured out and
pay us the trial period will be over. CNS/CNE/CNC/NP all receive a
higher award rate of pay.

Hope this enlightens you further. Good luck with your staff and
Department.

Regards
Wendy
(ausduck)

--- In emergency-nurse@yahoogroups.com, "Sherry Walter, ECC"
<slwalter@n...> wrote:
> I would like to know how other ED's handle patient call backs for
positive lab tests, cultures, etc. Currently these are routed
through our PCC's (Charge Nurses) by the unit secretaries who pull
them off the printers. The PCC's then initiate the "Followup Call
Back Form" and give it to one of the MD's. He then reviews the
record and identifys appropriate actions. He routes it back to the
PCC's who make every attempt to contact the patient. After three
failed attempts a certified letter is sent by the dept secretary.
Needless to say this is timeconsuming and I am trying to put the
ownership back on the physicians. Does anyone have any suggestions
on how it might be handled better?
>
> Do any of you pay a differential for ER nurses? I am not talking
about shift diff...I am talking about an extra incentive for ER
nurses. If so how much? I am seeking an ER diff for my staff.
>
> Does anyone have the perfect "triage" system? We are currently
experiencing longer waits and increases in LWBS. We added a new
computer system which allows us to track all of our markers (arrival
to triage, triage to room, arrival to MD, etc) and it sometimes
takes us an hour from arrival to triage. I have a lead triage nurse
managing the ER flow, answering the radio, assigning rooms, etc. I
have two nurses triaging and a tech assisting with VS/transport to
rooms. While our ER was built in 1998 we are needing to revamp. I
would like some input from others and even consider doing a site
visit if permitted. We see an average of 207 patients/day.
>
> Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules to answer my
questions.
>
> Sherry S. Walter, RN, MSN
> Clinical Director Emergency Care Center
> Phone 783-1648
> Pager 789-6836
> Fax 783-2384
> slwalter@n...