Telephone Triage Protocols for Nurses

Assess the nature and severity of callers' symptoms quickly and confidently, with Telephone Triage Protocols for Nurses , 6th Edition. More than 200 alpha-organized protocols address a wide range of symptoms, disorders and medical emergencies, while the flow chart format leads callers to provide vital Yes or No answers to appropriate questions. This comprehensive manual - a must-have for nurses both new and experienced - offers accurate care recommendations even when client information is limited. Follow expert direction and make quick, accurate assessments ... - NEW and updated protocols offer current best practices and reflect changes in access to medications and health care - Protocols address adult, pediatric, geriatric, maternal/child, home health concerns, current health issues, and communicable disease outbreaks - NEW protocols include arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), elder abuse, stroke symptoms, and Zika virus - Post-operative conditions and considerations have been added to numerous protocols - Expanded appendices include altered mental status, PTSD, suicide prevention, and emergency preparedness - Alpha-organized protocols help you quickly locate topics by symptom or condition - Table of contents by body system helps you quickly locate topics by body system, body part or set of related symptoms - Peer-reviewed by nursing experts - Easy-to-follow question-asking flow chart - Yes or No answers lead to specific care recommendations - Ideal guidance for all nurses, particularly those in triage and ambulatory practice - Sorts life-threatening problems from those not requiring physician or emergency care - Increases consistency of advice and documentation - Nurse Alerts - help the nurse identify potentially life-threatening conditions related to the symptoms and provides additional information to consider when choosing a protocol or triaging the caller's concern - Symptoms alpha-organized and grouped by level of urgency, addressing injuries, trauma, pain, swelling and other symptoms for: - Body part problems - Body system problems - Chronic and infectious diseases - Behavioral problems - Pediatric-specific problems - Maternal/obstetric specific problems or conditions - Sections under every symptom or condition include: - Key Questions to ask caller - Other Protocols to Consider - Reminder - what to note for proper documentation - Assessment - Yes or No questions to determine the urgency of symptoms or conditions - Actions - clear direction following Yes or No answers to questions - Immediate actions - proven protocols that refer caller to emergency, physician, or at-home care instructions - Home Care Instructions - comprehensive actions to take before emergency care, before appointment, or at-home care - Emergency Instructions - in-the-moment first aid&l