Intro

Question 1

What is the gold standard in EM?

Answer 1

• Management of disease, not just dx

Question 2

What is EMTALA?

Answer 2

• Emergency Medical Tx and Labor Act

- law that reqrs that anyone coming in to ED be tx and stabilized regardless of insurance or ability to pay

Question 3

Diff types of Disaster triage?

Answer 3

• immediate: life threat that is easily addressed
• delayed: pt can wait w/o risk
• minimal: pt rqrs little intervention
• expectant: pt will likely die w/o major intervention or will likely die regardless of intervention

Question 4

Components of routine ED triage?

Answer 4

• usually performd by nursing staff
  Goals:
• define and classify urgency based on complaint and presentation
• ensure pt safety
• facilitate care and flow through ED
• satisfy legal requirements for screening

Question 5

5 levels of rating pts in ED?

Answer 5

• immediate (level 1)
• very urgent (level 2)
• urgent (level 3)
• semi-urgent (level 4)
• non-urgent (level 5)

Question 6

Immediate (level 1) rating?

Answer 6

• complaint or condition reqrs immediate assessment and intervention
• any delay represents an unacceptable risk
• ex:
  cardiac arrest
  anaphylaxis
  compromised airway

Question 7

Very urgent (level 2) rating?

Answer 7

• complaint or condition that requires assessment and intervention w/in 10 min
• ex:
  chest pain
  CVA
  sig bleeding
  major trauma

Question 8

Urgent (level 3) rating?

Answer 8

• complaint or condition reqr assessment and intervention w/in 30-60 min
• ex:
  toxic ingestions
  severely painful conditions
  mult organ system involvement
  abnormal, non-emergent screening vital sign or test

Question 9

Semi-urgent (level 4) rating?

Answer 9

• complaint or condition reqr assessment and intervention w/in 1-2 hrs
• ex:
  lacerations
  long bone fxs
  dislocations w/o neurovasc compromise

Question 10

Non-urgent (level 5) rating?

Answer 10

• complaint or condition reqr assessment and intervention w/in 2-4 hrs (or longer)
• ex:
  suture removal
  wound recheck
  minor rash