Triage – Frequently asked questions

Triage is a clinically proven and internationally recognised method of /sorting medical cases according to how serious they are to determine who needs to be seen first.

When you enter an Emergency Centre and your personal information has been recorded, an experienced nurse will be assigned to assess you to determine the severity of your condition. You will be asked a few questions and the nurse will take a few observations. During the triage process, a nurse will enquire about your reason for visiting, and will assess your vital signs.  It might also be necessary to perform a few other tests in order to get to your appropriate triage colour. You will then be handed over to the registered nurse or doctor who is best equipped to deal with your specific case.

According to the colour designation (red, orange, yellow or green) you will be prioritised for care. This means that the resources available in the unit will prioritise certain patients with life threatening conditions (e.g. heart attack, stroke or severe injury) ahead of a patient who may have a minor laceration or other less severe injury.

Red = emergency: the patient is in imminent danger of dying or disability and needs to be seen immediately.
Orange = very urgent: the patient is in a serious condition but can wait a few minutes longer.
Yellow = urgent; the patient is ill but can wait longer.
Green = less urgent/routine: the patient has a minor condition and is rated stable at the time of triage.

Life-threatening emergencies
• Cardiac arrest
• Patient not breathing
• Current seizures
• Burns to the face or inhalation burns
• Hypoglycaemia

Emergencies/very urgent
• Level of consciousness reduced
• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Stabbed neck
• Dislocation of a large joint
• Pregnancy and abdominal trauma
• Vomiting fresh blood

Traditionally this breakdown is for adults, emergency signs for paediatric patients are more detailed. Small babies, younger than two months, are also regarded as very urgent, irrespective of their presenting problem.  We use different triage tools for adults and children – each have their own unique set of parameters.

People differ greatly in how they present.  Some people are very overt with their symptoms while other people are more covert.  For this very reason, all patients must go through the same, standardised triage process in order to do a accurate assessment of the urgency of their condition/presenting complaint.

Patients with life threatening conditions are taken to a private care setting away from the public eye, where they may be receiving care. Resources may be focused on these patients, ahead of anyone assessed as yellow or green. Our staff will endeavour to keep you updated and informed while you are waiting

As accidents and critical injuries are unexpected, we cannot always predict when our Emergency Centre may be full. We do understand that there are periods during the day (especially after hours) when other care options (such as your GP) are not available, and we take measures to look after our patients during these peak periods.

-  Provide an accurate reflection of your current condition such as pain levels, direct history before the injury, bring a list of medication you are currently taking as well as medical history that may be relevant to your condition.

-  Ask the triage nurse making the triage ranking any questions you may have regarding potential waiting times based on the volume of patients in the unit. This will provide a realistic potential waiting time for care.

In some cases, particular units in the hospital (such as ICU or paediatric unit) may have a high volume of patients. It may require further arrangements by the hospital to create capacity or (where necessary) arrange a transfer to another facility to receive the correct level of care for your condition.