Emergency Department Nurses’ Knowledge Regarding Triage

Abstract

Mortality rate can be reduced considerably by implementation of triage in Emergency Department (ED). The triage nurse is typically the first person a patient encounter when presenting for emergency care in the ED. Triage knowledge among nurses is one of the key elements of supervision and decision making in ED, if it is not carried out at stander level; the outcomes of care of patients and efficiency of ED get compromised .Triage Registered Nurses (RNs) have a pivotal role in the implementation of streaming of ED patients, thereby helping in reducing the length of time patients stay in the ED (Kerie et al., 2018). The study aims to assess Emergency Department nurses" knowledge regarding triage. Methodology: A comparative descriptive cross section hospital-based study design was conducted at the Emergency Departments of King Fahad University Hospital in AL Khobar and Dammam Medical Complex in Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province to determine the ED nurses" knowledge regarding triage. Result: A statistically significant relationship was found between age and knowledge, which revealed ED nurse's knowledge level regarding triage increase when they become older among DMC ED nurses. Whereas, there was no statistically significant relationship was seen between age and knowledge in (KFUH) ED nurses. Moreover, a statistically significant relationship was also seen between years of experience and knowledge among (KFUH) ED nurses in comparison with DMC ED nurses, there was no statistically significant relationship between years of experience and knowledge. This means the knowledge increases by increasing years of work experience among KFUH ED nurses. Further, the ED nurses" gender, educational level and the training courses attended could not attain any statistical significance in both hospitals. Conclusion: In the basis of results, it was concluded that (KFHU) emergency department nurses" level of knowledge concerning triage ranged between moderate level and high level of knowledge in comparison with DMC emergency department nurses" level of knowledge, it was noticed that three-quarter of them had low level and the rest of them is moderate level. While, very low percentage of the ED nurses in two hospitals (KFHU and DMC) reach very high level of knowledge. In KFHU emergency department nurses" knowledge, regarding triage more than half had high and very high score compared with quarter of them in DMC. Moreover, overall the level of knowledge of nurses in KFHU emergency department was more than 70%, which is considered high score while the DMC emergency department nurses' level of knowledge is less than 70%, which considered moderate score.