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Overview:
Telephone triage nurses, using protocols and independent judgment,
provide patient education and advice via the phone to patients
of all ages and diagnoses. They rank patients according to
urgency of need, directing them to further care as necessary.
The goal is to advise the patient on the right level of care
at the appropriate time to reduce unnecessary physician's
appointments or trips to the emergency room.
Typical
venues: health plan, HMO, physician's office or advice
center
Education:
active RN licensure
Certification:
none currently available
Job
outlook: Nursing as a whole will be one of the top 10
fastest growing professions in the United States in the next
decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Telephone
triage nursing could grow quickly as well if nurses assert
the need for their expertise in the field. Otherwise, other
(possibly unlicensed) professionals could reap more new jobs
instead.
Opportunities:
varied caseload; regular hours; not physically stressful
Challenges:
no face-to-face patient contact, little chance to follow up
with patients, lots of time on the phone
For
More Information:
Association
of Telehealth Service Providers
4702 SW Scholls Ferry Road, #400
Portland, Ore. 97225-2008
(800) 852-3591
Fax (503) 223-7581
www.atsp.org
Related
features on the NurseWeek Web site:
Dialed
In: Nurses prepare for the future of telephone triage
Going
the Distance: Nurses reach more patients with telehealth technology
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