Triage Assessment Tools in the Emergency Department: A literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: The number of patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) worldwide is increasing and this trend is unlikely to change in the near future. The triage is a progressive cognitive process which is used to investigate the critical condition of the patients, the management of ED`s resources, the beginning of interventions and the flow of services. Aim: To describe and analyze the concept of triage systems used in the Emergency Department and to review the available triage assessment tools and scales. Method: An information seeking was made in Greek and international literature, printed or electronic. The articles that were included contained information about triage systems and triage assessment tools and scales used worldwide. There was no limit on the year of publication. The articles used were written in Greek and English language. Results: The aim of triage is to identify life-threatening situations and provide appropriate assistance and first aid. The category of triage is determined by the patient’s most urgent clinical feature. In many countries, triage is carried out by registered nurses, who have the appropriate knowledge and skills. Triage nurses ensure the appropriate allocation of resources to provide medical services to a patient. There are many triage algorithms. Most triage scales consist of five levels. The major triage scales are the Australasian Triage Scale, the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale, the scale of Manchester and the Emergency Severity Index. Conclusions: Triage should be performed by nurses. Specialized knowledge and nursing skills are required for triage procedure. Policy makers have to make protected law for nurses to triage patients in the ED.