Emergency medical care providers’ opinions about triage tag usability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14528/snr.2014.48.1.13Keywords:
major incidents, mass casualty incident, triage, emergency medical serviceAbstract
Introduction: Categorized victims of a mass casualty event need to be labeled to help other participants in the rescue chain in sorting of patients into priority groups according to their needs and the resources available. The aim of the study was to determine the usability of triage tags employed in mass-casualty incidents in theRepublic ofSlovenia defined in the Law on Emergency Medical Services Act.
Methods: The data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The research sample included seven units of emergency medical services (EMS) at the primary level of health care ofUpper Carniola (Gorenjska region). Of 136 questionnaires distributed amongEMS providers, 94 were properly completed and returned. The data obtained were processed by descriptive and bivariate statistical methods.
Results: The present results are significant in at least two respects. It has been established that the respondents are not confident in their ability to use the required triage tag (x = 3.26) and that the required triage tag is not completely unusable triage tool regardless of its drawbacks (x = 3.43). The respondents are of the opinion that the triage tag should have the option of a color-coding scheme (x = 4.00) and a possibility to modify the patient's category if so required during the course of treatment (x = 3.99). Opinions vary in dependence on the length of experience of EMS providers (p = 0.05) and their competence to perform and document triage (p = 0.04). The agreement with both statements is significantly more pronounced in respondents with seniority.
Discussion and conclusion: It is necessary to improve the competence ofEMS providers in the use of the required triage tags in mass casualty management. InSlovenia, a type of triage tag which will accord with the current trends in intervention in mass casualty situations is needed. Additional research is therefore required to secure better emergency and disaster preparedness and response.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Analiza množične prometne nesreče na avtocesti A2, ki se je zgodila 27. 11. 2010, 2011. Ljubljana: Javna agencija Republike Slovenije za varnost prometa, p. 35. Available at: http://www.avp-rs.si/avp/avp-si.nsf/0/35B69C0689E04788C1257861005BA821/$FILE/analiza_mnozicne_pn.pdf [15. 1. 2012].
Analiza nesreče balona, 2012. Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za obrambo Republike Slovenije, Uprava Republike Slovenije za zaščito in reševanje.
Cencič, M., 2009. Kako poteka pedagoško raziskovanje – primer kvantitativne empirične neeksperimentalne raziskave. Ljubljana: Zavod RS za šolstvo.
Čander, D. & Jelatancev, A., 2006. Vaja »Vlak 2005«. In: Posavec, A. ed. Dogovor ukrepanja služb na področju PHE Ljubljana: zbornik predavanj. Strokovni seminar Ukrepanje ob množičnih nesrečah, Ig, 27. oktober 2006. Ljubljana: Zbornica zdravstvene in babiške nege Slovenije, Sekcija reševalcev v zdravstvu, pp. 103–108.
Črešnar, A., 2010. Vloga reševalca ob množičnih nesrečah: diplomsko delo. Maribor: Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za zdravstvene vede.
Doljak, T., Saksida, K. & Šantelj, K., 2008. Predstavitev državne vaje »Trk 2007«. In: Gričar, M. & Vajd, R., eds. Urgentna medicina: izbrana poglavja 2008: zbornik. Petnajsti mednarodni simpozij o urgentni medicini, Portorož, Slovenija, 11.–14. junij 2008. Ljubljana: Slovensko združenje za urgentno medicino, pp. 432–434.
Dujić, D. & Simčič, B. eds., 2013. Smernice za delovanje sistema nujne medicinske pomoči ob množičnih nesrečah. Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za zdravje Republike Slovenije, Sektor za kakovost in varnost sistema zdravstvenega varstva.
Field, K. & Norton, I., 2012. Australian triage tags: a prospective, randomised cross-over trial and evaluation of user preference. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 24(3), pp. 321–328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-6723.2012.01573.x, PMid:22672173
Karton poškodovanca – kratko navodilo za uporabo, (n. d.) Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za zdravje Republike Slovenije.
Killeen, J.P., Chan, T.C., Buono, C., Griswold, W.G. & Lenert, L.A., 2006. A wireless first responder handheld device for rapid triage, patient assessment and documentation during mass casualty incidents. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings, pp. 429–433. PMid:17238377; PMCid:PMC1839472
Košir, S., 2008. Bolnišnična oskrba poškodovanih v letalski nesreči 2006 – vaja. In: Gričar, M. & Vajd, R., eds. Urgentna medicina: izbrana poglavja 2008: zbornik. Petnajsti mednarodni simpozij o urgentni medicini, Portorož, Slovenija, 11.–14. junij 2008. Ljubljana: Slovensko združenje za urgentno medicino, pp. 119–123.
Mizumoto, T., Sun, W., Yasumoto, K. & Ito, M., 2011. Transportation scheduling method for patients in MCI using electronic triage tag. In: The third International conference on eHealth, telemedicine and social medicine. Guadeloupe (France): International Academy, Research and Industry Association, pp. 156–163.
Mohor, M., 2009. (Ne)pripravljenost predbolnišničnega sistema nujne medicinske pomoči v Sloveniji na velike nesreče. In: Posavec, A. ed. Zbornik predavanj, strokovni seminar Izvajanje nujne medicinske pomoči in transporta v izrednih razmerah, Ig, 23. oktober 2009. Ljubljana: Zbornica zdravstvene in babiške nege Slovenije, Sekcija reševalcev v zdravstvu, pp. 11–20.
Plan za zbrinjavanje u masovnim nesrećama i uloga hitne medicinske pomoči Republike Srbije., 2007. Niš: Zavod za Hitnu Medicinsku Pomoć Niš, p. 48 . Available at: http://www.hitnanis.org/index.php/arhiva/item/9-predlog-plana-za-zbrinjavanje-u-masovnim-nesre%C4%87ama-i-uloga-hitne-medicinske-pomo%C4%87i-republike-srbije-2007 [26. 11. 2011].
Pravilnik o službi nujne medicinske pomoči. Uradni list Republike Slovenije št. 106/2008.
Pyrros, D.G., 2005. The current state of affairs regarding triage tags in the European Union: thesis. Novara: Facolta di Medicine, Chirurgia e Scienze della salute, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro" (University).
Slabe, D. & Herman, S., 2007. Množične nezgode. In: Ahčan, U. ed. Prva pomoč: priročnik s praktičnimi primeri. Ljubljana: Rdeči križ Slovenije, pp. 637–644.
Stražar, M. & Kleva, D., 2011. Najhujša prometna nesreča na Slovenskem – Višnja Gora. In: Gričar, M. & Vajd, R. eds. Urgentna medicina – izbrana poglavja: zbornik. Osemnajsti mednarodni simpozij o urgentni medicini, Portorož, 15.–18. junij 2011. Ljubljana: Slovensko združenje za urgentno medicino, pp. 355–357.
Zabukovšek, D., 2010. Vloga in kompetence reševalca v prehospitalnem okolju: (diplomsko delo). Maribor: Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za zdravstvene vede.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
As the author undersigned hereby, I transfer, assign, or otherwise convey the following authorship rights as comprised in the Copyright and Related Rights Act (CRRA) to the Slovenian Nursing Review, Ob železnici 30A, 1000 Ljubljana: the right of reproduction - the exclusive right to fix the work in a material medium or in another copy directly or indirectly, temporarily or permanently, by any means and in any digital form, in whole or in part (CRRA, Article 23); the right of distribution (CRRA, Article 24); the right of making a work available and accessible through the internet (CRRA, Article 32a); the right of transformation, especially the exclusive right to translate a pre-existing work (CRRA, Article 33). The transfer of author rights applies to the article in its entirety, including pictorial and/or graphic works and possible supplements. The transfer of rights is exclusive and unlimited in duration or territory.
