Telephone nurse triage is telehealth provided by nurses. Trained nurses use standardized protocols to evaluate caller symptoms over the phone and determine the appropriate course of action. Triage nurses must be well trained in order to assess patients without actual physical contact. They also must have excellent listening skills in order to determine provide empathy while collecting the crucial medical information needed. They use their knowledge of symptoms and disease processes along with evidence based and physician written protocols to achieve an accurate understanding of the patient’s concerns and to provide the best care plan based on the patient’s symptoms. Over 70% of caller issues can be handled by a triage nurse alone without requiring a visit to a doctor.
