Handling of Emergency Patients On-Site & Triage of Patients.pptx

Handling patients in emergency

1. Handling of Emergency Patients On-Site & Triage of Patients

2. Objectives Define emergency care and triage Understand NABH expectations for emergency handling Standardize on-site stabilization procedures Enable structured triaging to improve outcomes

3. What is an Emergency Case? Any medical or surgical condition requiring immediate intervention to prevent death, serious harm, or disability. Examples: Cardiac arrest Road traffic accidents Head injuries Stroke Poisoning or overdose Severe burns Respiratory failure

4. Handling Emergency Patient On-Site (Pre-Hospital) ABC approach: -A irway -B reathing -C irculation Call for backup & activate hospital emergency response Stabilize with available resources: oxygen, CPR, bleeding control Record time of event, vital signs, and actions taken Use emergency crash cart or bag Notify emergency department to prepare for transfer

5. On-Site Documentation Initial assessment sheet Consent (verbal or written) Time of arrival & condition Action taken and by whom Name & ID of personnel providing initial care Handover notes (if transferring internally)

6. Triage – Definition Process of sorting patients based on urgency of medical need to prioritize treatment.

7. Triage Goals Save lives by treating critical patients first Prevent deterioration in moderate cases Optimize use of limited resources Improve patient flow and reduce waiting time

8. Standard Triage Categories (3-Tier System) Red (Immediate): -Life-threatening conditions -Requires immediate intervention -Examples: Cardiac arrest, severe trauma Yellow (Urgent): -Serious but not immediately life-threatening -Can wait up to 30–60 minutes -Examples: Moderate injuries, chest pain Green (Non-Urgent): -Minor injuries or stable patients -Can wait safely -Examples: Mild fever, sprains

9. Alternate 5-Level Triage (ESI Model) Level 1 – Resuscitation Level 2 – Emergent Level 3 – Urgent Level 4 – Less Urgent Level 5 – Non-Urgent (Use per hospital policy and capability)

10. Triage Workflow in Emergency Department Patient arrives at triage desk Triage nurse conducts quick assessment (ABCDE) Assign triage color or level Document triage category, time, vitals Inform doctor for further management

11. Essential Skills for Triage Staff Quick assessment under pressure Knowledge of red flag signs Clinical judgment & prioritization Communication with emergency doctor Use of standard protocols or checklists

12. Emergency Resource Preparedness Crash cart fully stocked and audited Emergency drugs readily available Ambulance readiness with BLS/ALS equipment Manpower training – periodic drills and simulations Integration with disaster management plans

13. Common Errors to Avoid Mis -triaging due to poor assessment Incomplete documentation Delayed referral or consultation Not activating code blue for cardiac arrest Failure to inform relatives in real time

14. Audit & Quality Indicators Time from triage to treatment Percentage of triage accuracy Emergency response time Documentation completeness Incident reporting of emergency failures