Abstract and Introduction
Introduction
Over the past year, we have seen a huge shift in the health care industry. With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to overwhelm hospitals nationwide, the critical role that nurse telephone triage plays in preventing surge has become even clearer. However, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal emergency preparedness plans, including the Pandemic Influenza Triage Tools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016), did not include telephone triage as a means to prevent surge. These tools also do not mention the critical pediatric-specific considerations that must be taken under advisement when rapidly assessing patients during a pandemic associated with influenza-like illness (ILI) to ensure proper and timely disposition. We hope to provide an overview of our organization's work during the early days of the pandemic to close this critical gap.
Pediatr Nurs. 2021;47(3):143-144. © 2021 Jannetti Publications, Inc.
