Triage

What happens before I see the doctor?
A nurse will see you as soon as possible to determine if you are able to register. An admitting clerk will ask you several questions about your address, phone number, etc.... If time allows we may ask for your identification and ask you to sign a consent form. This gives us permission to treat you. A triage nurse will ask you several questions about what brought you to the hospital, collect your health history and take your vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, etc…). Based on the information collected, the triage nurse will assign you to FastTrack, the non-acute area of the Emergency Department, or the acute care section of the Emergency Department. If the doctor or physician assistant is available to see you immediately, the registration staff will come to you. If you are too ill we will directly place you into a room and begin treatment.

Patients with stomach complaints or those who may need surgery should not eat or drink anything while waiting to be seen. You may also be asked to give a urine sample. If you have a question regarding your ability to eat or drink, or if you need to use the bathroom and are unsure if you need to provide a urine sample, please ask the triage nurse.

Another person who came in after me was called first. Why does this happen?
All patients are evaluated by the nursing staff and those who have more serious problems are treated first. Although someone may look well to you, s/he may have a more serious problem that needs to be taken care of quickly. While there are times when you may not see many people in the waiting area, ambulances arrive at our back doors 24 hours a day, bringing patients with life-threatening medical problems. We must treat the most critically ill and injured first.

In addition, our Emergency Department is separated into two treatment areas. FastTrack (our non-acute area of the Emergency Department) and the acute care section, and both utilize the same entrance. Because FastTrack patients are non-acute and may have only minor problems they are able to be seen in hallway beds or chairs. A patient that was triaged after you may be called before you if they are triaged to the FastTrack area.