No matter the industry, workplace injuries will always occur. While workplaces are much safer than they were before OSHA was founded in 1973, injuries still occur and can be reduced by establishing a safe work environment. However, when injuries do occur the first step is early intervention through triage nursing.
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What is a Triage Nurse?
A triage nurse is positioned within the workplace and is responsible for accessing employees and determining their level of need for medical assistance. With OnSite Health’s on-site nursing program, our nurse will be evaluating employees to determine the type of injury, illness, severity, symptoms, and vital signs. By having a triage nurse on-site, our nurse will be the first point of contact when an employee is injured and provides immediate medical attention or referral to emergency care.
Benefits of Triage Nursing
Having a triage nurse on-site will reduce company costs over the long term and lead to a happier, healthier workforce. Additionally, your employees will have a more efficient injury reporting service which in turn leads to higher productivity across the board.
The Care Workers Deserve
Many industries experience high turnover rates, which means that you cannot depend on having employees memorize, teach, and follow workplace injury protocol. When someone becomes injured on-site this leaves many questions internally for how to treat the worker. This is where triage nursing comes into play. With an on-site triage nurse, employees no longer will have to be 100% responsible for providing workplace injury care. Our nurse will provide an immediate assessment of the injury and provide the next steps for the employee which could be self-care or a visit to an outside provider. By having a triage nurse on-site, you can expect your workers to receive the care they deserve.
Expertise
The average employee typically does not understand all of the various medical terms, nor should they be expected to. When an employee is injured, the first thing they need is clarity and understanding. On-site triage nurses that specialize in occupational injuries can provide knowledge and guidance for your injured workers. Our knowledgeable nurses will document and provide guidance to your staff in determining the severity of the injuries, what they are doing to provide care, and what an employee can do to address their injuries afterward. If the injury can be treated with self-care, the nurse will provide after-care guidance as well as what to look for during the healing process. This expertise not only provides the clarity workers need but provides comfort as well.
Happy, Healthy, and Productive
When an employee is absent, it can have a major impact on workload and productivity. However, by having a triage nurse onsite you can receive immediate care and attention so that the worker can return to work. When an employee receives immediate medical attention, their recovery time is improved which allows them to return to work much faster.
Triage nursing provides numerous benefits to both the workplace and its employees. By providing case management, reducing costs, improving workplace safety, and increasing productivity, onsite triage nursing is a great step in providing your employees with the necessary care that they deserve. If you’re interested in learning how an onsite triage nurse can improve your workplace safety–contact OnSite Health today!
