Show description

However, this scenario illustrates one reason nurses might tend to over-rely on decision support tools. In an effort to control practice and reduce risk, organizations with policies promoting inflexible application of decision support tools potentially stifle critical thinking and diminish the role of clinical judgment. RNs and health care executives must realize the use of medically approved decision support tools does not relieve the RNs of accountability for their decision making. ) Meanwhile, with the proliferation of formalized telephone triage services (usually in call center settings), those responsible for organizing and managing these programs looked to the non-medical call center industry for direction.

With this new practice, there was a steep learning curve for the health care industry. During this time patients were offered alternatives and even occasionally denied access to the EDs by telephone triage nurses who believed the patient’s condition didn’t warrant that level of care. Although the intent was to save money and manage the demand on health care resources, attempts to keep patients who were perceived to be of low acuity out of the EDs often resulted in a delay in care which eventually led to increased costs, poor outcomes, and occasionally, litigation.

The lack of ownership and direction from the nursing profession has further increased the chasm between what we’re doing and what we ought to be doing. In other words, there is a disconnect between nursing theory and actual clinical practice. 27 The Art and Science of Telephone Triage SUMMARY Lack of clear direction from nursing has helped perpetuate misconceptions about telephone triage. In Chapter 3 we will discuss many of these misconceptions because they must be put to rest before we can move forward.