|
Overview :
Many patients
evaluated in the Emergency Department have non-emergent conditions that can be
treated as an outpatient. Patients arriving at the Emergency Department can be
effectively triaged using vital signs and clinical
findings.
Parameters:
(1) vital
signs
(2) clinical
features
|
Vital Signs in Adolescents or
Adults |
Age of the
Patient |
Non-Emergent
Range |
|
temperature |
<=
60 |
35 to
38.8°C |
|
|
>
60 |
35 to
38.3°C |
|
respiratory
rate |
|
12 to 20
breaths per minute |
|
blood
pressure, systolic |
|
90 to 160
mm Hg |
|
blood
pressure, diastolic |
|
60 to 110
mm Hg |
|
pulse |
<=
60 |
60 to 110
beats per minute |
|
|
>
60 |
60 to 100
beats per minute |
Triage to
Emergency Department (Exclusions from Being Classified
Nonemergent):
(1) severe
pain
(2) chest or
abdominal pain
(3) age < 15
years
(4) transport by
ambulance
(5) inability to
walk
where:
• I would think
this list could be expanded to include injuries like
fractures.
Patients
identified as probably nonemergent by the above criteria then have a focused
screening examination to look for findings warranting emergency treatment. If
this exam is negative, then the patient is triaged out of the Emergency
Department.
| References: | |
Derlet RW, Nishio D, et al. Triage of
patients out of the emergency department: Three-year experience. Am J Emerg Med.
1992; 10: 195-199. (Table 1, page 196; Table 3, page 197).
Derlet RW, Kinser D, et al. Prospective
identification and triage of nonemergency patients out of an emergency
department: A 5-year study. Ann Emerg Med. 1995; 25: 215-223 (Table 1, page
217).
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