نشریه پرستاری ایران (Oct 2017)
The Effect of Nurses’ Triage Training Based on Stabilization Model on the Patient’s Waiting Time in Emergency Department
Abstract
Abstract Background & Aim: Speed of service delivery in health centers, especially in emergency ward, is very important in reducing mortality and disabilities. One of the most important indicators in evaluating emergency centers is the waiting time. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nurses’ triage education based on stabilization model on the patient’s waiting time in the emergency department of selected hospital in 2015. Materials & Methods: In this quasi-experimental before-and-after study, the waiting time for 35 patients admitted to the emergency department, was recorded using a certain timer device before the intervention. Triage training was taught to nurses based on stabilization model in a 2-hour face-to-face lecture in the triage room of emergency department for one week. After a week, the patients’ waiting time in different shifts was measured using the same timer. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical tests through the SPSS software version 19. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean waiting time before and after the intervention. In a way that the mean of first waiting time before the intervention was 15.34 minutes that reduced to 8.42 minutes after the intervention (P<0.0001). Moreover, the mean of second waiting time before the intervention was 14.58 minutes which decreased to 14.17 minutes after the intervention. However, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.82). Conclusion: Nurses’ triage training based on stabilization model reduces the patient’s waiting time in the emergency department and in turn, accelerates service delivery. Therefore, we emphasize providing triage education to the emergency nurses.
