Triage is the process of sorting patients based on their needs. In the Emergency Department, this means that patients are seen based on the severity of their condition, and not necessarily in the order in which patients arrive at the hospital. This initial screening is usually done by the "Triage Nurse" immediately on one's arrival to the Emergency Department. The "sickest" patients are seen first by the Emergency Physician ; so it is very possible that patients may have to wait to be seen as sicker patients are taken ahead of them into the Emergency Department.