Educational intervention in triage with the Swedish triage scale RETTS©, with focus on specialist nurse students in ambulance and emergency care – A cross-sectional study. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Olsson, Martin; Svensson, Anders; Andersson, Henrik; Dehre, Andreas; Elmqvist, Carina; Rask, Mikael; Wireklint, Sara; Norberg Boysen, Gabriella
• Is Part Of: International emergency nursing. Volume 63(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: RETTS© -- Triage -- Cross-sectional -- Educational intervention -- Emergency care education -- Paper-based simulation -- Reliability -- Registered Nurse; Emergency nursing -- Periodicals; 616.025
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2022.101194
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-599X

Abstract

Highlights: The reliability of the RETTS© triage scale after an educational intervention resulted in moderate agreement. There was a total overall agreement regarding RETTS© final triage level in only 8.7% (4 of 46) of the scenarios. In over half of the scenarios, there are disagreements over the dividing line stable/unstable. Different pedagogical methods could potentially be used as a for triage education in emergency care to increase accuracy. Abstract: Aim: To determine the reliability of application of the RETTS© triage scale after an educational intervention using paper-based scenarios in emergency care education. Background: Knowledge about and education in triage are important factors in triagescale implementation. Presenting students with a large number of triage scenarios is a common part of triage education. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study at two universities students undergoing education in emergency care used RETTS© to assess triage level in 46 paper-based scenarios. Results: 57 students in the study made 2590 final triage decisions. Fleiss Kappa for final triage was 0.411 which is in the lower range of moderate agreement. In 25 of 46 (53.4%) scenarios, final triage levels did not agree about whether the case was stable or unstable. Conclusion/Implications: Application of the RETTS© triage scale after an educational intervention with paper-based simulation in emergency care education resulted in moderate agreement about the final levels of triage.