ABSTRACT
Abstract Introduction: Triage defined as selecting patients based on the severity of injury and performing the best management for the majority of patients in a short time. Triage is a strong administrative tool for providing emergency services. According to situations, it divided into: normal urgent triage and emergent condition triage. The former is performed in emergency ward of a hospital and the latter in the accident field
Objective: Comparison of the number of triaged patients in normal urgent condition at different triage levels in accordance with months of the spring and three working shifts
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study was performed in Poursina teaching hospital during three months of the spring [21 March-21 June 2006]. Patients triaged in three working shifts. Data were registered in Emergency Service Work Shifts Form [approved by Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education]. According to this form, patients were classified to inpatients and outpatients groups, then they allocated to one of the following levels: Emergent, Urgent, and Non-urgent
Results: Among 30.746 admitted patients, 25.525 [82.97%] were outpatients, 5.214 [16.95%] were inpatients, and 25 [0.08%] died. 203 [3.89%] patients transported by EMS ambulances, 960 [18.41%] by referee hospital ambulances, and 4.051 [77.70%] by themselves or others. The mean number of inpatients on night shift had a statistically significant difference of morning and evening shifts. The same was true for outpatients between morning and evening and night shifts. The majority of inpatients, 2.104 [40.30%] admitted on the night shift and the majority of outpatients, 12.443 [48.21%] on the morning shift. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean of triaged patients at the emergent and urgent levels among the three work shifts [night vs. morning and evening shifts, p< 0.05]
Conclusion: Regarding the majority of admissions on the night shift, pay more attention to this shift can play a pivotal role in saving lives. Therefore, it appears that conducting more studies about the different aspects of this issue is necessary