The province has announced changes are coming to hospital emergency rooms to help get paramedics back on the roads faster in Nova Scotia.
Paramedics will be able to take patients deemed “low-risk” to ER waiting rooms to be assessed by healthcare staff, starting on Wednesday.
Previously, they had to wait with patients until a doctor took over their care.
“Paramedics are a vital part of our healthcare system. We need to make sure their time is spent responding to emergencies,” Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson says in a news release. “This policy balances the safety of patients who can wait to be seen by emergency department staff and getting our paramedics back on the streets sooner.”
The news release says a low-risk patient is considered as anyone who has normal vital signs and can sit, stand, or move independently without risk of falling.
Paramedics will continue to wait with high-risk patients, including those with suspected stroke, chest pain, or other potentially life-threatening injuries, and children under 16.
The province says the aim of the direct to triage policy is to reduce pressure on the EHS system, improve ambulance offload times, and make better working conditions for paramedics.
