ASSESSING PATIENTS

A step-by-step guide through Queensway Carleton Hospital emergency for a non-urgent patient (Level 4 on the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale)

Patient arrives, presents their health card and shares their concern with the triage nurse. Depending on their condition, patient may be asked to stay in the main waiting room to be called back later for triage. The patient is assessed by the triage nurse using the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale. The nurse takes a history focused on the concern that brought the patient to hospital. The nurse takes vital signs, assesses the patient’s condition and assigns the patient a CTAS level between one (which is urgent) and five. In the case of a patient given a rating of CTAS 4, or non-urgent, they would head to the waiting room to be called to registration. At registration, patients provide health card, confirming their own information and emergency contact information. The patient either heads back to the waiting room or is directed to a cubicle in the assessment area, if there is room in the emergency department. If not, the patient waits until a cubicle is available. The patient is assessed, treated and possibly referred to a specialist. If the patient is waiting for an X-ray, they remain in the cubicle area. Patient is usually discharged but, in some cases, might be admitted to hospital.