Analysis of Knowledge and Attitudes Toward the Implementation of Triage in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Triage errors can lead to incorrect prioritization in patient management, potentially resulting in death. A critical process in the Emergency Department (ED) is triage, which involves determining the priority of interventions based on the severity of the patient's condition. This process requires nurses to possess rapid analytical skills, a deep understanding of emergency protocols, and a professional attitude when dealing with various dynamic clinical situations. This study aims to analyze the implementation of triage by nurses in the Emergency Department. This research is a quantitative study using a correlational analysis method with a cross-sectional approach. The sampling technique used was total sampling, involving 24 respondents. The inclusion criteria were nurses who agreed to participate, held a BTCLS (Basic Trauma and Cardiac Life Support) certificate, and had more than 3 years of work experience. The results showed that the majority of nurses (83.3%) had a good level of knowledge regarding triage implementation. Additionally, 87.5% of respondents demonstrated a positive attitude toward triage procedures. About 91.7% of nurses in this study performed triage appropriately. There was a significant correlation between knowledge (r = 0.643) and attitude (r = 0.712) with the implementation of triage. Good knowledge and attitude significantly influence the successful implementation of triage. These findings demonstrate that improving the quality of human resources, particularly in cognitive and affective aspects, is essential to support the quality of emergency healthcare services.