Emergency Triage Education Kit (ETEK), second edition
The ETEK is a resource for nurses preparing for the emergency department (ED) triage role and for educators. Triage ensures patients with the most urgent clinical need are prioritised for care in the ED.
About the ETEK
Accurate and consistent triage is the foundation of equitable and safe patient care, as well as effective and efficient use of ED resources. The ETEK focuses on how to apply the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) and the knowledge, communication and decision-making skills that underpin this process. The principles of person-centred care are integrated throughout the content, promoting a positive experience for patients, their support people and triage nurses.
This is a digital-only resource. If you would like a hard copy, please print the PDF version.
How to use the ETEK
The ETEK includes content for learners and educators. Chapters 1-9 contain:
- Learner content – key information related to the topic
- Educator resources – guidance on localising content for learners, discussion points, case studies and supporting resources.
Chapter 10 contains scenarios for testing your knowledge and practicing assigning a triage category.
Additional resources:
- Chapter 10: Triage scenarios, writable version for saving your answers
- Additional triage scenarios for education
- Quick reference resources:
- Recommended systematic approach to triage
- Australasian Triage Scale: Descriptors for categories
- Primary survey findings and triage categories
- Primary survey findings and triage categories – children
- Pain levels and triage categories
- Ophthalmic presentations and triage categories
- Mental Health Triage Tool – summary
- Mental Health Triage Tool.
Second edition
This second edition of the ETEK is the result of an extensive revision and update by the Commission, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. Over 100 experts provided reviews of content. These reviewers included practicing emergency clinicians to ensure the ETEK's currency; topic experts and academics to reference best practice and the evidence base; and consumers to incorporate their needs and experiences at triage.
The ETEK, second edition, has been endorsed by three emergency clinical colleges: the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia, the Australian College of Emergency Nursing and the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.
What has changed
In response to the feedback received from extensive consultation, the ETEK, second edition, includes new and revised content on many topics, including decision-making, the effect of bias at triage, communication with patients and support people, care for older people, responding to psychological distress and recognising early signs of sepsis. Many new case studies have also been added to facilitate educator-led discussions about decision-making in high-risk and high-volume presentations.
The scenarios in Chapter 10, for consolidation and self-test, were revised and revalidated by Professor Marie Gerdtz, Head of Department of Nursing at The University of Melbourne. See Triage scenario development and validation methodology for details.
Chapter 10 is also available for download as a separate document, below, to allow learners to record and save their answers.
Contact
For more information or to give feedback, contact mail@safetyandquality.gov.au.
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