I was asked this question several times in the last month: “Can you explain the difference between calling Nurse Direct and calling 911?”
Well, sure I can!
911 is all about emergency response. Think of it like this: “I need help now!” Call 911.
When you call 911, responders are notified by the dispatcher about where the emergency is as well as basic information gathered from the caller by the dispatcher. The responders will come directly to the scene to provide care. Our service (a Door County service) will take you to the nearest emergency care facility (Ministry Door County Medical Center).
Nurse Direct is a 24-hour service that provides skilled nursing advice no matter the severity of the condition. The nurses who work with Nurse Direct are all registered nurses in northeast Wisconsin. It is each nurse’s job to gather information from the caller, assess the condition using national protocols, use their resources and skills to break down the severity and depth of the condition and provide appropriate care advice.
During the assessment, you will be asked to provide your full name, address, home phone number, date of birth, name of your health insurance and the name of your primary health care provider.
If you are new to Door County, Nurse Direct will also help you choose a primary health care provider in your area.
I spoke with the manager of Nurse Direct, Gretchen Glassen, a registered nurse, who told me about the service: “It is a free 24-hour health information service.” Glassen stated that they provide triage and care advice using national evidence-based protocols no matter what people call with.
Glassen went on to say that the triage process begins with the nurse determining the severity of the condition and whether the caller should hang up and dial 911. Glassen was quick to point out that if the caller cannot physically hang up and call 911 because of the condition, the nurse will call 911 for the patient.
The nurse will also quickly determine if the call is for adult or pediatric care. Glassen stated that the goal is to get the caller connected with the best care based on the condition described to them, whether it be over-the-phone advice or connecting the patient with the best primary care provider.
When asked whether a person should ever feel apprehensive about calling Nurse Direct, Glassen said, “Call anytime for anything. We have people who call for ‘what do I do for a cold?…’ It doesn’t matter how big or how little, we’d rather talk with them.”
Nurse Direct calls are common, and the nurses are there to provide skilled nursing advice no matter the scale of the condition. The number of calls that came in from Door County for the month of August was 340. Glassen said that Nurse Direct averages between 320 and 350 calls per month in Door County.
Don’t be afraid to call Nurse Direct for advice about what ails you. The Nurse Direct phone number is 1-877-746-0003. If your condition is an emergency, please do not hesitate to call 911.
If you have more questions or suggestions for the next article, please contact either Crew Chief Gary Schultz or Ben Baumann.
By Ben Baumann
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