The Emergency Department Pathway

In the Emergency Department (ED), triage is the process by which patients are assessed and then prioritised based on their need for emergency medical attention. Triage nurses are typically the first point of clinical and emotional support for patients visiting the ED. 

This dynamic triage process is carried out by the ED’s most senior nurses who are specially trained and experienced in all aspects of emergency care.

Triage is carried out on all patients who attend the Emergency Department, whether they present by ambulance, by GP referral, or self-referral so that the department’s resources can be utilised to treat the sickest patients first; arriving by ambulance does not mean you will be seen faster. Triage nurses stream patients to the most appropriate area of the ED as well as collaborating daily with speciality teams to ensure that patients are seen and treated in a prompt and efficient manner. 

The Manchester Triage System and Irish Children’s Triage System are proven safe tools that allow trained Emergency Nurses prioritise care delivery and identify the sickest for life saving interventions. It is a fast moving, intense, pressurised job on the extreme frontline, but very rewarding too; be it a 45 year old with chest pain that may be a heart attack, a child with a foreign body lodged in their nose or a frail elderly person with a fever, fundamentally triage is the ability of the Emergency Nurse to be calm and wise, and exercise excellent clinical judgement, compassion, empathy, and understanding while identifying patients who need to be prioritised. 

The triage nurse is here to support patients and their families when these life changing and challenging events occur from the very beginning of their ED journey. This support continues throughout their journey in the ED by all staff with whom they encounter.