Triage nurse staffing: a study on the need for model improvements

Abstract

This study addresses the challenge of determining appropriate nurse staffing levels for triage in Emergency Departments (EDs). It evaluates whether existing nurse staffing models, typically designed for other hospital settings, can be effectively applied to triage. The research was conducted at Merano Hospital’s ED from January 1, 2021, to November 30, 2022, and involved an analysis of data from patient triage assessments. The findings indicate that standard ward staffing models are not easily adaptable to the triage environment, underscoring the need for a more systematic approach to calculating triage nurse staffing. The current Italian ministerial guidelines do not account for the unique demands and complexities of the triage setting.

Keywords

• Triage
• nurse staffing
• emergency department