If the patient is an older child, speak with her as well as her caregiver. Don't accept a caller's self-diagnosis. Make your own assessment. At the same time, be careful not to second-guess the caller. Don't devalue reassurance calls.
Reassurance is an appropriate use of telephone triage.
Callers usually want to test the health care delivery system, gain emotional support, or gather information. Don't overreact, underreact, and feel fatigued. To avoid these pitfalls, confer with colleagues and take frequent breaks. N.Y. Reproduced by permission. Responding to violence What to do after an attack.