Abstract
Background:
Accurate emergency department (ED) triage in the geriatric population is an important nurse-sensitive quality indicator; however, few quality indicators are verified for impact.
Purpose:
To examine the relationship between triage accuracy in adults older than 65 years and Core Measures for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF).
Methods:
A correlational approach was used to determine strength and direction of the relationship between variables.
Results:
Strong positive correlations were found between triage accuracy and mortality for AMI and HF, as well as with 30-day hospital readmissions for AMI. A weak negative correlation was found between triage accuracy and 30-day hospital readmissions for HF.
Conclusions:
Accurate triage can lead to a more effective care trajectory for patients, better adherence to Core Measures, and better outcomes. Accuracy in triage for AMI and HF is a valid indicator of ED quality care.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
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