A Study to Evaluate Effectiveness of Triaging the Triage: Reducing Waiting Time to Triage in the Command Post to Emergency Department in Selected Hospitals

Abstract

Background: Ample evidence supporting the effectiveness of emergency triage to improve patient flow (efficiency), crowding, and outcomes has been generated in developed countries. Low-resource settings, however, face distinctive challenges that may significantly influence the choice of an appropriate triage scale and the success of its implementation1. Triage is putting the patient in the right place at the right time to receive the right level of care, the allocation of appropriate resources to meet the patient’s medical needs. It also allows for the allocation of the patient to the most appropriate assessment and treatment area. The triage system varies from one health institution to the other based on available medical services, community need and load of emergency departments2. Method: A pre- experimental with one group pre-test and post-test design and quantitative approach was selected to carry out the study. The study population comprised of all staff nurses working selected hospitals at Tripura. The sample size for the study was 50 staff nurses. Non-probability, purposive sampling technique was used for selecting sample of the study. The tools used for the study were (1) structure questionnaire to assess the knowledge and practice regarding training of triage.section1 was socio demographic variables; section 11 was structured knowledge questionnaire regarding knowledge questionnaire regarding training of triage. Section 111 was structured knowledge questionnaire regarding knowledge based practice questionnaire regarding training of triage.(11) Planned training programme regarding training of triage. Results: The overall pre-test knowledge scores of the nurses revealed that a majority of nurses 35(70%) had average knowledge,06(12%) had good knowledge and 9(18%) had poor knowledge. Whereas in the post test, all of them 50(100%) had good knowledge. The overall pre-test practice scores of the nurses revealed that a majority of nurses 35(70%) had average practice,07(14%) had good practice and 8(16%) had poor practice. Whereas in the post test, all of them 50(100%) had good practice.There was positive correlation between knowledge and practice r= 0.91 respectively based on Pearson’s correlation computed value between knowledge and practice. This indicates the existence of positive correlation. Conclusion: The study findings concluded that the planned training programme on Triage was effective in improving and acquainting to the current knowledge of staff nurses as evidenced by gain in post-test knowledge and practice scores of staff nurses regarding triage in command post to emergency department.