triage

Question 1

Triage aims

Answer 1

aims to ensure that patients are treated in the order of their clinical urgency which refers to
the need for time-critical intervention. Clinical urgency is not synonymous with complexity or severity.

Question 2

Triage
also allows

Answer 2

for the allocation of the patient to the most appropriate assessment and treatment area, and
contributes information that helps to describe the departmental case-mix

Question 3

Triage is the first

Answer 3

point of public contact with the ED

Question 4

triage assessment generally should take no more

Answer 4

than two to five minutes with a balanced aim of speed and thoroughness being the essence

Question 5

triage assessment

Answer 5

involves a combination of the presenting problem and general appearance of the patient, and may be combined
with pertinent physiological observations

Question 6

Safety at Triage

Answer 6

-a safe and non-threatening physical environment,
- Front line staff should have minimisation-of-aggression training and protocols and
procedures for dealing with challenging behaviour. -Where the safety of staff and/or other patients is under
threat, staff and patient safety should take priority and an appropriate security response should take place prior to clinical assessment and treatment.

Question 7

Time to Treatment

Answer 7

described for each ATS Category refers to the maximum time a patient in that category
should wait for assessment and treatment

Question 8

Re-triage

Answer 8

If a patient’s condition changes while one is waiting for the treatment, or if additional relevant information
becomes available that impacts on the patient’s urgency, the patient should be re-triaged. Both the initial triage
and any subsequent categorisations should be recorded, and the reason for the re-triage documented.

Question 9

Triage Colours

Answer 9

Red (Category 1), Orange (Category 2), Green (Category 3), Blue (Category 4) and White (Category 5), are
commonly utilised by EDs in order to identify each ATS Category, and are recommended to be the standard
colours used throughout Australia and New Zealand. However, colour designations should only be used as an
adjunct to the numerical designations identifying each triage category.

Question 10

Arrival Time

Answer 10

The arrival time is the first recorded time of contact between the patient and ED staff. Triage assessment should
occur at this point.

Question 11

Time of Medical Assessment and Treatment

Answer 11

Although important assessment and treatment may occur during the triage process, this time represents the
start of the care for which the patient is presented.

Question 12

‘Time seen by doctor

Answer 12

Usually it is the time of first contact between the patient and the doctor initially responsible for their care