Pediatric triage variations among nurses, pediatric and emergency residents using the Canadian triage and acuity scale
Dublin Core
Title
Pediatric triage variations among nurses, pediatric and emergency residents using the Canadian triage and acuity scale
Subject
CTAS, Triaging system, Pediatrics
Description
Background: Emergency care continues to be a challenge, since patients’ arrival is unscheduled and could occur at
the same time which may fill the Emergency Department with non-urgent patients. Triaging is an integral part of
every busy ED. The Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) is considered an accurate tool to be used outside
Canada. This study aims to identify the chosen triage level and compare the variation between registered nurses,
pediatric and adult emergency residents by using CTAS cases.
Method: This study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City,Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional self-administered
questionnaire was used, and which contains 15 case scenarios with different triage levels. All cases were adopted
from a Canadian triage course after receiving permission. Each case provides the patient’s symptoms, clinical signs
and mode of arrival to the ED. The participants were instructed to assign a triage level using the following scale. A
non-random sampling technique was used for this study. The rates of agreement between residents were
calculated using kappa statistics (weighted-kappa) (95%CI).
Result: A total of 151 participants completed the study questionnaire which include 15 case scenarios. 73 were
nurses and 78 were residents. The results showed 51.3, 56.6, and 59.9% mis-triaged the cases among the nurses,
emergency residents, and pediatric residents respectively. Triage scores were compared using the Kruskal Wallis test
and were statistically significant with a p value of 0.006. The mean ranks for nurses, emergency residents and
pediatric residents were 86.41, 73.6 and 59.96, respectively. The Kruskal Wallis Post-Hoc test was performed to see
which groups were statistically significant, and it was found that there was a significant difference between nurses
and pediatrics residents (P value = 0.005). Moreover, there were no significant differences found between nurses
and ER residents (P value> 0.05).
Conclusion: The triaging system was found to be a very important tool to prioritize patients based on their
complaints. The results showed that nurses had the greatest experience in implementing patients on the right
triage level. On the other hand, ER and pediatric residents need to develop more knowledge about CTAS and
become exposed more to the triaging system during their training.
the same time which may fill the Emergency Department with non-urgent patients. Triaging is an integral part of
every busy ED. The Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) is considered an accurate tool to be used outside
Canada. This study aims to identify the chosen triage level and compare the variation between registered nurses,
pediatric and adult emergency residents by using CTAS cases.
Method: This study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City,Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional self-administered
questionnaire was used, and which contains 15 case scenarios with different triage levels. All cases were adopted
from a Canadian triage course after receiving permission. Each case provides the patient’s symptoms, clinical signs
and mode of arrival to the ED. The participants were instructed to assign a triage level using the following scale. A
non-random sampling technique was used for this study. The rates of agreement between residents were
calculated using kappa statistics (weighted-kappa) (95%CI).
Result: A total of 151 participants completed the study questionnaire which include 15 case scenarios. 73 were
nurses and 78 were residents. The results showed 51.3, 56.6, and 59.9% mis-triaged the cases among the nurses,
emergency residents, and pediatric residents respectively. Triage scores were compared using the Kruskal Wallis test
and were statistically significant with a p value of 0.006. The mean ranks for nurses, emergency residents and
pediatric residents were 86.41, 73.6 and 59.96, respectively. The Kruskal Wallis Post-Hoc test was performed to see
which groups were statistically significant, and it was found that there was a significant difference between nurses
and pediatrics residents (P value = 0.005). Moreover, there were no significant differences found between nurses
and ER residents (P value> 0.05).
Conclusion: The triaging system was found to be a very important tool to prioritize patients based on their
complaints. The results showed that nurses had the greatest experience in implementing patients on the right
triage level. On the other hand, ER and pediatric residents need to develop more knowledge about CTAS and
become exposed more to the triaging system during their training.
Creator
Saleh Alshaibi , Tala AlBassri, Suliman AlQeuflie, Winnie Philip and Nesrin Alharthy
Publisher
BMC Emergency Medicine
Date
(2021) 21:146
Contributor
Fajar bagus W
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Files
Collection
Citation
Saleh Alshaibi , Tala AlBassri, Suliman AlQeuflie, Winnie Philip and Nesrin Alharthy, “Pediatric triage variations among nurses, pediatric and emergency residents using the Canadian triage and acuity scale,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed November 21, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/3907.