Prioritization and delegation All Testing Exams Covered: Verified Instructor Notes Included

After the emergency department (ED) triage nurse has assessed these patients, which patient should the nurse have the ED physician evaluate first? The 37-year-old who is complaining of left-sided chest pain and dyspnea The 45-year-old who has fallen from a ladder and is complaining of back pain The 52-year-old with a history of kidney stones who has severe left flank pain The 68-year-old who has a blood pressure of 170/98 mm Hg and a nosebleed A patient with left-sided chest pain and dyspnea would be classified as emergent because of the possibility of life-threatening problems such as myocardial infarction. The other patients would be classified as urgent. They should be seen as quickly as possible, but their assessments do not indicate immediate life-threatening problems. Which of these individuals is the most appropriate choice to perform the initial patient assessment and determine triage priority for a trauma victim who has just arrived in the emergency department (ED)? An RN who has worked in the ED for the past 5 years An LPN/LVN who has worked in the ED for the past 20 years An RN who has floated to the ED from the surgical unit A paramedic who has brought the patient to the ED by ambulance Triage is the role of an experienced ED nurse who has developed assessment and critical thinking skills needed for this role. An RN whose primary experience is in a nonED setting does not have the experience to determine triage prioritization. The