Knowledge, Skills, and Triage Practices in Emergency Nurses in Mafraq

Abstract

Iman Eladjaoui and Malek Alrfooh

Introduction: Emergency nursing is essential to healthcare systems worldwide. Triage plays a pivotal role in emergency nursing, prioritizing patients based on the urgency of their medical condition and focusing on rapid assessment and prioritization of patient care according to their condition and its severity. In the emergency department, the triage nurse assesses vital signs and gathers information from the patient to determine the severity of their condition. This aims to provide appropriate medical intervention quickly for life-threatening cases and minimize waiting times for less critical cases, thus contributing to the efficient allocation of scarce resources. Our study aimed to evaluate the triage knowledge, skills, and practices of emergency nurses in Mafraq, Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study used a previously validated questionnaire. Fifty emergency nurses from two public and one private hospital in Mafraq participated. We collected data through an online survey then analyzed in SPSS.

Results: 92% of nurses had sufficient triage knowledge (≥60%), while 14% exhibited deficient triage skills (<60%) and 86% had moderate skills (60-80%). Regarding practices, 32% rated as “poor” (<60%) and 68% as “adequate” (>60%). Length of working in an emergency, hospital type significantly related to nurses’ triage knowledge, skills, and practices.

Conclusion: The study underscores continual training, simulation programs, and mentorship for enhancing emergency nurses’ triage knowledge and skills, especially in rural settings. Implementing clear triage protocols, continuous support, and integrating triage competencies into curricula are recommended to improve overall triage competency

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