Triage protocol - Dissertation Example

The protocol is defined in such a manner that its implementation depends on the definition of the treatment to be offered; this is because it contains both inclusion and exclusion criteria, which appropriately informs the triage nurses about the exact time to request X-Rays to avoid subjecting patients to excessive radiation. Constant review of the protocol will be conducted quarterly to ensure its appropriateness. 2. Outline the rationale for selecting the change The triage protocol suggested for implementation will help provide rapid health care services for patients in critical conditions within the emergency rooms in hospitals.

Request of X-rays by triage nurses through the protocol reduces the waiting time by about 18 minutes, which leads to satisfaction of both the patients and the hospital staff (Crinson, 1999). This process entails the involvement of triage nurses, who must possess the ability to make quick decisions. In addition, triage nurses must have a high level of listening and communication skills and extensive knowledge of warning signs and symptoms. It is important to note that these field nurses must have vast experience in emergency medicine to be able to become triage nurses (Ward, 1999).

According to the Department of Health (1997), triage is critically important since it is the foremost assessment in patient care. The surest way to save resources is to identify and separate the critically injured from the patients with less severe conditions. The new triage protocol is ready for implementation to ensure that patients’ safety is taken care of and that patients are identified accurately (Davies, 1994b). 3. Discuss the organisational impact you hope the change will have and the expected outcome(s) According to the Department of Health (1997), the new triage protocol has diverse impacts in terms of how hospitals operate.

The protocol is expected to bring quality in health care provision through effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The program will also boost the employee welfare in terms of the learning and education of the nurses. Triage is, therefore, very important in hospitals, most so in emergency departments worldwide, as it helps prevent overcrowding. Therefore, it improves emergency care through prioritization during clinical emergencies. Despite resource consumption variations in patients, triage nurses are urged through ESI resource and through prediction thinking to solve the presented emergencies (Cutts, 1999).

It is also in addition that resources in emergency departments consume general resources. For instance, a provider seeing a very old patient with an in dwelling urinary catheter and complaints of fever and cough will call for blood order and urine test with chest X-Ray. The triage nurse can, therefore, accurately predict the patients’ needs for two or more resources and thus be able to classify the patient as ESI level 3 through triage protocol. According to the Department of Health (2000), the outcomes of this change will be the ability for the future advancement of the same protocol; it will also ensure that there is ease in distinguishing between the responder and the