Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

■ Telephone triage offers an exciting, although controversial means of extending the role of children's nurses

■ Convenient, anonymous and immediate access to advice and help could be very attractive to many families

■ Children who do not need face-to-face contact with health professionals can be 'filtered out' of that system

■ Telephone triage should result in more appropriate use of resources

■ Telephone communication skills need to be developed to ensure that the service is efficient and effective

■ Research needs to be undertaken to ensure that newly developing services are appropriately evaluated

Keywords

Telephone triage Children Family Communication Perceptions

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allen D. , Marks B. (1988). Patient access and appointment systems. The Practitioner 232: 1380-1382.

American College of Emergency Physicians. (1990). Providing telephone advice from the emergency department. Annals of Emergency Medicine 19: 154-156.

Anonymous. (1978). The telephone in general practice. British Medical Journal 2: 1106.

Arber S. , Sawyer L. (1985). The role of the receptionist in general practice: a'dragon behind the desk'? Social Science and Medicine 20: 911-921.

Armstrong D. , Fry J. , Armstrong P. (1991). Doctors' perceptions of pressure from patients for referral. British Medical Journal 302:1186-1188.

Bhopal JS , Bhopal RS (1988). Outcome and duration of telephone consultations in a general practice. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 38: 566.

Bhopal JS , Bhopal RS , Gilmour WH , Fallon CW (1988). An audit of incoming telephone calls to a practice . Update 37: 848-851.

Bhopal RS , Bhopal JS (1989). Telephone consultations. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 39: 346.

Briggs J. (1997). Telephone triage protocols for nurses. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott.

10.

Brown JL (1980). Telephone medicine - a practical guide to pediatric telephone advice. St Louis: CV Mosby .

11.

Brown JL (1994). Paediatric telephone medicine: principles, triage and advice. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott .

12.

Buckles E. , Carew-McColl M. (1991). Triage by telephone. Nursing Times 87: 26-28

13.

Central Statistical Office. (1987). Social trends. London: HMSO.

14.

Curtis P. , Talbot A. (1981). The telephone in primary care. Journal of Community Health 6: 194.

15.

Curtis P. , Evens S. (1989). Doctor-patient communication on the telephone . Canadian Family Physician 36: 123-128.

16.

Daugird AJ , Spencer DC (1988). Patient telephone call documentation. Quality implications and attempted intervention. Journal of Family Practice 27: 420-421.

17.

De Angelis C. , McHugh M. (1977). The effectiveness of various health personnel as triage agents. Journal of Community Health 2: 268-277.

18.

Department of Health. (1992). The patient's charter. London: HMSO.

19.

Dunn JM ( 1985). Warning: giving telephone advice is hazardous to your professional health. Nursing 85: 40-41.

20.

Edwards B. (1994). Telephone triage: how experienced nurses reach decisions. Journal of Advanced Nursing 19: 717-724.

21.

Glasper A. (1993). Telephone triage: a step forward for nursing practice ? British Journal of Nursing 2: 108-109.

22.

Glasper A. , McGrath K. (1993). Telephone triage: extending practice. Nursing Standard 7: 34-36.

23.

Grace JF , Armstrong D. (1987). Referral to hospital: perceptions of patients, general practitioners and consultants about necessity and suitability of referral . Family Practice 4: 170-175.

24.

Greenlick MR , Freeborn DK , Gambill GL , Pope CR ( 1973). Determinants of medical care utilization: the role of the telephone in total medical care. Medical Care 11: 121-134.

25.

Greitzer L. , Stapleton FB , Wright L. et al. (1976). Telephone assessment of illness by practicing pediatricians. The Journal of Pediatrics 88: 880-882.

26.

Grose A. (1988). Triage in A and E. Professional Nurse 3: 400-402.

27.

Hallam L. (1989). You've got a lot to answer for, Mr Bell. A review of the use of the telephone in primary care. Family Practice 6: 47-57.

28.

Hallam L. (1991). Organisation of telephone services and patients' access to doctors by telephone in general practice. British Medical Journal 302: 629-632.

29.

Hallam L. (1992). Patient access to general practitioners by telephone: the doctor's view. British Journal of General Practice 42: 186-189.

30.

Johnson AH , Wise MS , Jimmerson KR (1995). The nurse practitioner's role in a paediatric sleep clinic. Journal of Pediatric Health Care 9: 162-166.

31.

Knowles PJ , Cummins RO (1984). ED medical advice telephone calls: who calls and why? Journal of Emergency Nursing 10: 283-286.

32.

Kuensting LL (1995). 'Triaging out' children with minor illnesses from an emergency department by a triage nurse: where do they go? Journal of Emergency Nursing 21: 102-108.

33.

Mallet J. , Woolwich C. (1990), Triage in accident and emergency departments. Journal of Advanced Nursing 15:1443-1451.

34.

Marklund B. , Bengtsson C. (1989). Medical advice by telephone at Swedish health centres: who calls and what are the problems? Family Practice 6: 42-46.

35.

Marsh GN , Horne RA , Channing DM (1987). A study of telephone advice in managing out-of-hours calls. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 37: 301-304.

36.

McGear R. , Simms J. (1988). Telephone triage and management. A nursing process approach Philadelphia: WB Saunders .

37.

Nickerson HJ , Biechler L. , Witte F. (1975). How dependable is diagnosis and management of earache by telephone? Clinical Pediatrics 14: 920-923.

38.

Ott JE , Bellaire J. , Machotka P. , Moon JB ( 1974). Patient management by telephone by child health associates and pediatric house officers. Journal of Medical Education 49: 596-600.

39.

Perrin EC , Goodman HC (1978). Telephone management of acute pediatric illnesses . The New England Journal of Medicine 298:130-135.

40.

Poole SR , Schmitt BD , Carruth T. (1993). After hours coverage: application of an area-wide telephone triage and advice system for paediatric practices. Pediatrics 92: 670-679.

41.

Radecki SE , Neville RE , Girard RA (1989). Telephone patient management by primary care physicians . Medical Care 27: 817-822.

42.

Read S. , George S. , Westlake L. , Williams B. , Glasgow J. , Potter T. (1992). Piloting an evaluation of triage. International Journal of Nursing Studies 29: 275-288.

43.

Rivara FP , Wall HP , Worley P. , James KD (1986). Pediatric nurse triage: its efficacy, safety and implications for care. American Journal of Diseases of Children 140: 205-220.

44.

Russo RM , Giraraj VJ (1975). Triage abilities of nurse practitioner vs pediatrician . American Journal of Diseases of Children 129: 673-675.

45.

Sheldon MG , Harris SJ (1984). Use of deputising services and night visit rates in general practice. British Medical Journal 289: 474-476.

46.

Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority. (1992). Annual Report 1991.

47.

Summersgill P. (1994a). Keeping a check on care - non-attendance at children's outpatient departments. Child Health 1: 203-220.

48.

Summersgill P. (1994b). An open door on care - solutions to non-attendance at children's outpatient departments. Child Health 1: 221-224.

49.

Thayre K. (1985). Innovations in A and E Nursing Mirror 160: xii-xvi.

50.

Thompson DF , Trammel HL , Robertson NJ , Reigart JR (1983). Evaluations of regional and nonregional poison centers. New England Journal of Medicine 308: 191-194.

51.

Troutman JL , Wright JA , Shifrin DL (1991). Paediatric telephone advice: Seattle Hatline experience . Pediatrics 88: 814-816.

52.

Ukcc. (1992a). Code of professional conduct for the nurse, midwife and health visitor. London : UKCC.

53.

Ukcc. (1992b). The scope ofprofessional practice. London: UKCC.

54.

Weingarten MA (1982). Telephone consultations with patients: a brief study and review of the literature. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 32: 766-770.

55.

Williams S. , Crouch R. , Dale J. ( 1995). Providing health-care advice by telephone. Professional Nurse 10: 750-752.

56.

Wood PR ( 1989). Validity of the medical record for evaluation of telephone management. Pediatrics 84:1027-1030.

57.

Wright B. (1985). Hostility in A and E departments. Nursing Mirror 161: 42-44.

58.

Yates DW (1987). Nurse triage in A and E departments. Journal of the Royal Society of Health 107: 153-154.

Review : Telephone triage: a panacea for child and family health care?

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References