Knowledge and Skills on Triage among Nurses Working in Emergency Departments in Referral Hospitals in Rwanda

Abstract

Background
Unpredictable numbers of patients attending emergency departments highlight the need for Triage. Triage which is the prioritization of patient care based on severity of illness or injury, prognosis, and availability of resources is effective when clinicians are knowledgeable and skilled to perform it.
Objective
To assess knowledge and skills on triage among nurses working in emergency departments of Rwandan referral hospitals.
Methods
Cross-sectional analytical design was adopted. ninety-six (96) nurses working in emergency departments were selected using proportionate stratified sampling method. Each hospital was considered as a stratum. A self-administered questionnaire and observation checklist were use as instruments. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used in analysis.
Results
The majority of participants (63.6%) demonstrated low level of triage knowledge and almost a half (47.9%) of participants had low level of triage skills. Nurses experience in emergency department, level of education and triage training were not found to significantly influence triage knowledge and skills positively (P>0.05).
Conclusion
Deficit in triage knowledge and skills were revealed among nurses working in emergency departments in Rwanda. Accredited continuous educational training on triage should be regularly provided to enhance knowledge and skills of emergency department nurses on Triage.
Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(3):398-405