Triage Wizard
Pick a broad complaint and read the same trace-back reasoning Zach runs at the bedside — not a diagnosis, a way to understand what's probably going on before deciding where to go.
By Zachary Lambert, BSRN
When a broad complaint comes in — "my belly hurts," "I feel off" — an experienced triage nurse doesn't just wait for more information. They run a structured trace-back in their head: history, pattern, what's already been tried, who else is involved. This tool turns that same trace-back into real, readable guidance, organized by complaint.
This does not diagnose anything — it never tells you what you have. It narrows the picture the same way triage narrows it, then points you toward the right next step: a primary care provider, urgent care, or the ER.
Some complaints are built, most aren't yet
A handful of broad complaints have real, Zach-written guidance so far. The rest are shown as placeholders — he writes each one out himself before it goes live, the same way every other piece of this content gets built. Chest discomfort is different on purpose: it skips the guidance entirely and goes straight to a warning, since chest pain doesn't wait on anything to be read first.
What's going on?
Pick the complaint closest to what you're dealing with. Only some of these are built out so far — the rest are shown so you can see what's coming.
Educational reference only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. This is meant to help you organize your own picture and ask sharper questions — always defer to a real provider's judgment. Call 911 or go to the nearest ER for anything that could be serious.