Implementation and evaluation of the five-level emergency triage (emergency severity index tool): A hospital-based, prospective, observational study

Objective:To implement the ۵-level Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage tool into nursingpractice in the emergency department (ED) and validate it with a population-based cohortusing hospitalization and length of stay (LOS) as outcome measures.Methods: The study included ۸۵۰ patients, irrespective of age and gender, reporting tothe ED of a tertiary care hospital. Each patient was assessed by the triage nurse as perthe ۵-level ESI triage tool and categorized. The number and type of resources used by thepatient, LOS in the ED and the outcome were noted. Data were statistically analyzed byusing RStudio Team software, ۲۰۱۵. A P value of < ۰.۰۵ was considered to be statisticallysignificant.Results: The majority of patients belonged to ESI-۴ (۴۶.۸۲%), followed by ESI-۱ (۱۹.۴۱%),ESI-۲ (۱۷.۰۶%), ESI-۳ (۱۰.۳۵%), and ESI-۵ (۶.۳۵%). In most patients, the LOS in the ED was<۱۲۰ minutes (۵۵.۶۵%). ESI showed a statistically significant association with all the clinicalcharacteristics, as well as resources used, interventions needed, maximum time allowedbefore initiating physician assessment, duration of stay in ED, and patient outcomes(P=۰.۰۰۰). ESI was found to have a sensitivity of ۱۰۰% and specificity of ۷۸%.Conclusion: ESI is a useful and valid tool for the emergency triage and has the potential tobecome the standard triage acuity assessment in EDs in India.

کلیدواژه ها:

triage ، Length of stay ، cohort