Non-Urgent Medical Calls Blended

Non-Urgent Medical Calls Overview

• Definition: Situations classified as not immediately life-threatening but still require medical attention.

Dangers of the “Non-Urgent Triangle”

• Key Strengths: Confidence, experience, and seniority.

• Potential Obstacles:

  • Confidence: Overconfidence may lead to misjudgment in urgency.

  • Experience: Older practices may not adapt quickly to new situations.

  • Seniority: Could result in reduced attention to detail from habitual practices.

Patient Interview Techniques

• Reference: Watch the informative video on patient interviewing practices here.

Mental Health Apprehension Forms

• Form 10 (Statement of Peace Officer on Apprehension): Used under the Mental Health Act Section 12. Requires understanding of key criteria for apprehension:

  • Must have reasonable grounds to believe the individual is suffering from a mental disorder.

  • Must foresee possible harm to themselves or others or inability to comply with treatment.

  • Must ensure patient safety or safety of others is at risk.

  • Transitioning to mental health intervention must be considered safer than proceeding under Section 10.

Triage Overview

Urgency vs. Non-Urgent

• Triage: Key term meaning "to sort" patients based on urgency.

• CTAS Score: Canadian Triage Acuity Scoring System, where:

  • CTAS 1: Most urgent care needed.

  • CTAS 5: Least urgent care needed.

Triage Process

• Significance of Triage Desk: First point of contact at the ER for new patients.

• Triage Nurse's Role: Assess patients, using vital signs and clinical signs to establish urgency and plan assessment timelines:

  • CTAS scoring guides patient treatment timelines based on conditions and severity.

Understanding Chronic vs. Acute Conditions

Definitions

• Acute Conditions: Severe and sudden, can include examples like fractures or asthma attacks.

• Chronic Conditions: Long-term syndromes such as asthma or osteoporosis, which may lead to acute episodes if untreated.

• Relation of Conditions: An acute asthma attack occurs as part of a chronic disease.

Non-Urgent CTAS Levels IV/V

CTAS 4 Non-Urgent

• Not requiring immediate attention. Timeline for:

  • Nurse Assessment: 60 minutes

  • Physician Assessment: 60 minutes

  • Common Issues: Head injuries (alert), minor traumas, abdominal pain, and mental health concerns.

CTAS 5 Non-Urgent

• Timeline for:

  • Nurse Assessment: 120 minutes

  • Physician Assessment: 120 minutes

  • Typical Issues: Minor traumas, sore throats, chronic abdominal pain, light mental health symptoms.

Triage Challenges

• Possible Dangers:

  • Inexperience: Can lead to misjudgment in urgency.

  • Perception Issues: Past experiences can cloud judgment.

Decision-Making Guidelines

• Crucial to make quick assessments (within 60 seconds) regarding urgency based on patient information.

Patient History Assessment Questions

• Evaluate symptom progression, sources of information, and changing conditions. Identify complicating factors with an eye for hidden issues.

Case Study Analysis

First Case

• Patient: 45-year-old male with abdominal pain and diarrhea. Must assess symptom history, dietary habits, and hydration.

Second Case

• Patient: 23-year-old male exhibiting suicidal ideation. Explore stressors, previous experiences with self-harm, and support systems.

Third Case

• Patient: 50-year-old female reporting palpitations. Contextualize symptoms tied to exercise, previous occurrences, and subsequent medical advice.

Vital Signs Assessment

• Capture and react to vital statistics such as:

  • Pulse, B/P, Temp, and SpO2 values to determine urgency.

Take Home Lessons from Non-Urgent Scenarios

• Potential for non-urgent cases to escalate to urgent status if not monitored appropriately.

• Ethical considerations of patient decisions regarding care—especially in vulnerable populations.

Dangers of Complacency

• Complacency can prevent recognizing signs of deterioration in seemingly stable patients.

Patient Assessment Reporting

• Detailed insights into diagnosis prioritization and communication with triage and nursing staff regarding patient needs.

Vocabulary

• Acute: Sudden onset severity.

• Chronic: Long-term condition.

• Exacerbation: Worsening episode of a chronic condition.

• Triage: Sorting based on urgency.

• Mitigating factors: Considerations that affect urgency and decision-making

• urgent

• differential diagnosis

• FOSH (fall on outstretched hand)

• treatment. no transport

• psychosomatic

• placebo