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Specialized in rapid assessment and treatment
when every second counts, particularly during the
initial phase of acute illness and trauma. Emergency
nurses must tackle diverse tasks with
professionalism, efficiency, and above all³caring.

emergency nurses must be prepared to

provide patient care for almost any situation
they may encounter, specialization is rare.
 ðriage
ðriage classifies emergency patients for assessment and treatment
priorities

ðriage decisions require gathering objective and subjective data

rapidly and effectively to determine the type of priority situation present

Emergent situations are potentially life-threatening: respiratory distress

or arrest,
cardiac arrest
severe chest pain
seizures
hemorrhage
severe trauma resulting in open chest or abdominal wounds
shock
poisonings
drug overdoses
temperatures over 105°F (40.5°C)
emergency childbirth, or delivery complications
£
Úrgent situations are serious but not life-threatening if
treatment is delayed briefly; they include such conditions as
chest pain without respiratory distress, major fractures, burns,
decreased level of consciousness, back injuries, nausea or
vomiting, severe abdominal pain, temperature between 102
and 105°F (38.9 and 40.5° C), bleeding from any orifice,
acute panic, or anxiety

Nonemergency situations are not acute and are considered

minor to moderately severe; they include such conditions as
chronic backache or other symptoms, moderate headache,
minor burns, fractures, sprains, upper respiratory or urinary
infections, or instances in which a patient is dead on arrival
w

--alerts staff to various emergency situations.

ðhe use of codes is intended to convey

essential information quickly and with a
minimum of misunderstanding to staff, while
preventing stress or panic among visitors to the
hospital.

ðhese codes may be posted on placards

throughout the hospital, or printed on
employee/staff identification badges for ready
reference.
rhat do you do
first?
ð
EE P SES OF
CODE BLÚE
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