Predictability of Ed Admissions by Triage Nurses

April H Yoo, The University of Texas School of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if triage nurses within the emergency department were able to predict inpatient admissions of ED patients and to determine if the patients’ age, acuity level, and presence of co-morbid conditions were associated with likelihood of inpatient admission from the emergency department. Methods: Triage nursing surveys predicting inpatient admission of patients who visited the ED over two non-consecutive days in 2016 were collected and reviewed at 24 hours post patient presentation to the ED to determine inpatient status. Data collected at time of triage were analyzed to determine if inpatient admission patterns exit based on age, acuity level, and co-morbid conditions. Sensitivity and specificity ratios were calculated to determine nursing prediction capability and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were compared to assess statistical significance of nursing prediction and patient variables. Results: Of the 107 ED patient visits, triage nurses were able to accurately predict inpatient admission at 74.8% of patients, p<0.001, with a high degree of sensitivity, 63.6% and specificity, 77.6%. A univariate analysis of patient age, acuity level, and co-morbid conditions found all patient factors statistically significant in predicting the likelihood of inpatient admission. A multivariate analysis consisting of nursing prediction, patient age, acuity level, and co-morbid conditions as independent variables found age and co-morbid conditions as most predictive of inpatient admission, p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively. Conclusions: Triage nurses were able to predict inpatient admissions of ED patients, with patient age and co-morbid conditions as patient factors increasing the likelihood of predicting inpatient admission. Ability of triage nurses to predict ED patient outcome may help identify patients deserving early intervention and maximize ED throughput efficiency.

Subject Area

Health care management

Recommended Citation

Yoo, April H, "Predictability of Ed Admissions by Triage Nurses" (2017). Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest). AAI10617990.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI10617990

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