How to Triage

Triage is the process of organising patients according to the severity of their condition and getting each patient treatment within an appropriate time frame. Good triage should be implemented in every stage of patient care, from the primary phone call to the patient arrival, to ensure each patient receives the care it needs. This article discusses the different triage scoring systems available, communication with the owner over the phone and face to face, and triage of the patient on arrival through assessment of the three major body systems. There is also discussion of the secondary survey to determine the patients that do not have an immediately life-threatening condition, but where there is potential for their condition to worsen rapidly.