Knowledge, Skills, and Practices of Triage among Emergency Nurses in Jordan

Abstract

Purpose: The importance of knowledge, skills, and practices of nurses makes abridge for a higher quality of care provided to patients. This study purposed to assess the levels of knowledge, skills, and practices of patient triage among emergency nurses in Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational, observational design was utilized to assess the levels of knowledge, skills, and practices of patients' triage among emergency nurses working in triage at emergency departments in Jordan. A convenience sample of 125 registered nurses were recruited from triage units of three health sectors in the middle region of Jordan; government, educational, and private.

Results: The findings revealed that 88.8% of nurses had sufficient knowledge of triage, 84.8% had moderate triage skills, and 88.8% demonstrated good triage practices. There was a statistically significant positive association between triage knowledge, emergency experience, and triage training course. A significant positive association was found between triage skills, emergency experience, triage experience, and triage training course. Also, triage practices had a significant positive association with triage experience and triage training course.

Conclusions: It is necessary to develop nursing policies that consider triage as a baseline training program for all emergency nurses. Also, triage training programs should be conducted and take into consideration the associated factors to enhance emergency nurses' knowledge, skills, and practices of triage in order to improve quality of care and patients' outcomes.

Keywords: Emergency department; Emergency nurses; Knowledge; Practices, skills; Triage; Triage education; Triage training.