Triage errors of nurses and its relationship with the consequences of triage errors in emergency departments of Tabriz medical science educational

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To ensure the correct implementation of triage and to identify the challenges, obstacles and problems related to triage of clients referred to the emergency departments of educational and treatment centers of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, a study with the aim of “Evaluation of nurses' triage errors and its relationship with the consequences of triage errors in clients referring to emergency departments in educational-therapeutic centers of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences”, was done in emergency departments at hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Materials and methods: In this descriptive-correlation study, 323 cases were selected from the wholefiles of clients referred to the emergency departments in educational-medical centers of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, for which a file case was initiated, selected. In order to collect data, a researcher-made triage evaluation checklist that was approved by ten faculty members of the nursing faculty, was used. This checklist was extracted from the triage form approved by the Ministry of Health, and had 31 items with answers of yes (1) and no (0) and divided into three parts, including; 1- Determining the effective factors in triage, such as the characteristics of the triage nurses, conditions of the triage unit, etc. 2- Determining triage error 3- and determining the outcomes of triage. Also, in order to ensure the reliability of the checklist and increase the researcher's proficiency in determining triage errors, the first 30 checklists were completed separately and simultaneously by the researcher and an experienced nurse. If any part of the triage form was incomplete, other parts of the file case such as history, doctor's orders, nursing report and case summary were reviewed to complete data. In order to determine the sample size for each educational-medical center, a relative stratified random sampling method was used. After collecting the data and entering it into SPSS software, the data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests. Findings: Most of the triage nurses in the current study were female nurses. All triage nurses have completed annual triage courses. The rate of triage error was 49%, the rate of heavy triage error was 31%, the rate of light triage error was 17%, and the rate of adverse outcomes as the consequences of the triage error was reported as 62%. A statistically significant relationship between triage error and desired outcome was also observed. Conclusion: According to the findings of the research, it is concluded that the triage of clients referring to the emergency departments is performed very poorly and it is necessary to take necessary measures such as providing specialized human resources such as doctors, nurses and practical nurses same as sufficient support staff such as service staffs, Sufficient equipment, basic and advanced trainings for triage and use of standard and scientific management policy and procedure for triage.