Crack. You hear the branch break and look up to see a blur of blue fall to the ground. Your son cries out and you rush to him. When you check him over, he tries to move his arm, but winces in pain. Luckily, he’s able to move it. Thank goodness! But he’s definitely injured. How bad, you can’t tell. Should you take him to the ED? Or to his primary care provider? You’re not a medical expert, and you only want to do what’s best for your son. What should you do?
This is the perfect moment to speak with a Fairview triage nurse.
What Is Triage?
Triage is the act of determining what level of care a person needs. At Fairview, you can call our clinic at 218-362-6937 and ask to speak to a nurse about your symptoms. Once you’ve explained the situation to them, the nurse will help you determine if you need to be seen today or can schedule a visit at a later date. If it’s not urgent, the nurse may also give you advice to help lessen your symptoms. This nurse can also set up appointments for you.
Remember, if it’s an emergency, call 911.
Emergency Department Triage
Speaking of 911, if you end up in the emergency department, you’ll be greeted by a triage nurse. Their role is to determine how urgent the situation is. Do you need to be seen right now? This tactic allows hospitals to help the most at-risk patients first. In the ED, it’s not about who arrived first, it’s about who needs assistance most. While this is standard ED protocol everywhere, we continuously check in with our processes to ensure that all patients are seen in a timely manner.
Triage: Your Health’s Best Friend
The power of triage is taking that powerless feeling out of your hands. Instead of a vague Google answer, you get a medical professional giving you advice that is specific to you. The next time you are wondering if you should be seen, give us a call at 218-362-6937 and discuss your symptoms with a nurse.