Does Your Staff Really “Get” Initial Patient Assessment? Assessing Competency in Triage Using Simulated Patient Encounters

Abstract

In an ideal world, sufficient resources and staff would be available to care for every person who arrives at the emergency department, but because that is rarely the case, both formal and informal triage is necessary. In the high-acuity, high-uncertainty environment of the emergency department, where multiple distractions, constant interruptions, innumerable high-priority tasks, and limited staff are the norm, the ability of the nurse to assess critical patient factors is central to maintaining both safety and efficiency.