Recognition of the Triage Committee for the
2024 CTAS Guideline Update
There has been so much happening behind the scenes and
this is such an exciting time for Triage in Canada! We, at
the National Emergency Nurses Association (NENA),
are so excited for the release of the updated 2024 Canadian
Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) Guidelines in February of
this year. This long-anticipated update reflects hundreds of hours
of work invested by members of the NENA Triage Committee
and reflects a significant advancement in the standardization and
quality of emergency care.
Since its initial implementation, CTAS has served as a cornerstone in emergency department triage, ensuring that patients
are assessed quickly and consistently according to the severity
of their condition. In this revision, presenting complaints have
been refined to reflect better the current practice and growing
complexity of patient populations, including more nuanced
definitions of mental health crises and substance use presentations. A new and enhanced electronic decision-making-support
tool that aligns with current evidence and incorporates the new
modifiers has been developed.
Importantly, the 2024 CTAS guidelines emphasize cultural
safety, equity, and trauma-informed approaches—an essential
step toward reducing systemic biases and promoting a more
inclusive health care environment for all Canadians.
This update could not come at a more critical time. With emergency departments often serving as the front door to the health
system, and as providers continue to manage surges in demand,
accurate triage remains a vital determinant of both individual
outcomes and system efficiency.
We commend the National Emergency Nurses Association
(NENA) Triage Committee for their vision, hard work and
diligence in completing this revision. The NENA Board of
Directors would like to recognize the NENA Triage Committee
consisting of Joy McCarron (Chair), Jennifer Cameron, Kristen
MacKenzie, Kaitlynn Kylie, Tammy Nelson, and Pierre-Luc
Tremblay, as well as Leanne Norrena, CTAS National Advisory
Committee, for the phenomenal amount of work and hours that
was put into these updates.
Their work ensures that CTAS remains not only clinically relevant, but also a powerful tool for improving the safety, flow, and
fairness of emergency care delivery nationwide.
The 2024 CTAS update is a reaffirmation of our shared values
in emergency medicine: clinical excellence, compassion, and
a relentless pursuit of better outcomes for our patients. We, at
NENA, would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the
members of the triage committee for their countless hours of
hard work, late nights, and inspiring levels of dedication in
launching a successful CTAS 2024 update!
ISSN: 2293-3921 (print) | ISSN: 2563-2655 (online) | https://doi.org/10.29173/cjen
Print publisher: Pappin Communications http://pappin.com | Online publisher: University of Alberta www.library.ualberta.ca/publishing/open-journals Canadian Journal of Emergency Nursing · Vol. 48, No. 3, Fall 2025 9