Barriers to the utilization of thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke

What is known and Objective: Thrombolysis is currently the only evidence‐based pharmacological treatment available for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS); however, its current utilization is suboptimal (administered to <3% of AIS patients). The aim of this article was to identify the potential barriers to the use of thrombolysis via a review of the available literature. Methods: Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant original articles, review papers and other literature published in the period 1995–2011. Results and Discussion: Several barriers to the utilization of thrombolysis in stroke have been identified in the literature and can be broadly classified as ‘preadmission’ barriers and ‘post‐admission’ barriers. Preadmission barriers include patient and paramedic‐related factors leading to late patient presentation for treatment (i.e. outside the therapeutic time window for the administration of thrombolysis). Post‐admission barriers include in‐hospital factors, such as suboptimal triage of stroke patients and inefficient in‐hospital acute stroke care systems, a lack of appropriate infrastructure and expertise to administer thrombolysis, physician uncertainty in prescribing thrombolysis and difficulty in obtaining informed consent for thrombolysis. Suggested strategies to overcome these barriers include public awareness campaigns, prehospital triage by paramedics, hospital bypass protocols and prenotification systems, urgent stroke‐unit admission, on‐call multidisciplinary acute stroke teams, urgent neuroimaging protocols, telestroke interventions and risk‐assessment tools to aid physicians when considering thrombolysis. Additionally, greater pharmacists’ engagement is warranted to help identify the people at risk of stroke and support preventative strategies, and provide the public with information regarding the recognition of stroke, as well as facilitate the access and use of thrombolysis. What is new and Conclusion: The most effective interventions appear to be those comprising several strategies and those that target more than one barrier simultaneously. Therefore, optimal utilization of thrombolysis requires a systematic, integrated multidisciplinary approach across the continuum of acute care.     

Facilitators and Barriers of the Triage Process based on Emergency Nurses’ Experience with the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale: A Qualitative Content Analysis

PurposeSince 2016, the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) algorithm has been applied to the triage process in the emergency departments (EDs) of Korea. This study aimed to investigate the facilitators of and barriers to a well-run triage function based on how Korean emergency nurses perceived the triage process and their experiences with it.MethodsData were collected using focus group interviews from June 2018 to January 2019. Twenty emergency nurses were divided into two junior and four senior groups based on their level of clinical experience. All interviews were recorded as they were spoken and transcribed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe participants recognized the need for the KTAS algorithm to efficiently classify emergency patients and were working on it properly. According to the data, we extracted 4 themes and 20 subthemes. Four themes were as follows: (1) awareness about the necessity of triage, (2) facilitators to triage process, (3) barriers to triage process, and (4) suggestions for the establishment and development of triage.ConclusionFrom the findings of this study, various vulnerabilities of the triage process were identified, and solutions were suggested from the emergency nurses’ perspective. Educational, staffing, financial support, and periodic updates of the KTAS are needed to promote the triage process in the future.     

Prehospital Trauma Triage Decision-making: A Model of What Happens between the 9-1-1 Call and the Hospital

We describe the decision-making process used by emergency medical services (EMS) providers in order to understand how 1) injured patients are evaluated in the prehospital setting; 2) field triage criteria are applied in-practice; and 3) selection of a destination hospital is determined. We conducted separate focus groups with advanced and basic life support providers from rural and urban/suburban regions. Four exploratory focus groups were conducted to identify overarching themes and five additional confirmatory focus groups were conducted to verify initial focus group findings and provide additional detail regarding trauma triage decision-making and application of field triage criteria. All focus groups were conducted by a public health researcher with formal training in qualitative research. A standardized question guide was used to facilitate discussion at all focus groups. All focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Responses were coded and categorized into larger domains to describe how EMS providers approach trauma triage and apply the Field Triage Decision Scheme. We conducted 9 focus groups with 50 EMS providers. Participants highlighted that trauma triage is complex and there is often limited time to make destination decisions. Four overarching domains were identified within the context of trauma triage decision-making: 1) initial assessment; 2) importance of speed versus accuracy; 3) usability of current field triage criteria; and 4) consideration of patient and emergency care system-level factors. Field triage is a complex decision-making process which involves consideration of many patient and system-level factors. The decision model presented in this study suggests that EMS providers place significant emphasis on speed of decisions, relying on initial impressions and immediately observable information, rather than precise measurement of vital signs or systematic application of field triage criteria.     

Outcome of emergency department patients with delayed admission to an intensive care unit

Objective: To compare 30 day mortality, length of stay and cost for adult emergency department patients with a delay in intensive care unit admission of up to 24 h with a group of patients admitted directly from the emergency department to the intensive care unit. Methods: Retrospective cohort study in a 300‐bed university affiliated teaching hospital. One hundred and twenty‐two adult emergency department patients admitted to the intensive care unit either directly from the emergency department (direct group) or within 24 h of ward admission (delayed group) were identified. The main outcome measures investigated were 30 day mortality, length of stay and cost. Results: Thirty day mortality in the delayed group was significantly higher, the risk ratio being 2.46 (95% confidence interval 1.2–5.2). The length of stay and cost were similar in the direct and delayed groups. Baseline estimate of risk of death derived from the mortality probability model calculated from the emergency department data was similar for the two groups (P = 0.10). Emergency department triage categorization and emergency department staff seniority was significantly different (χ² for trends, P = 0.002 and 0.023, respectively), with patients in the delayed group more likely to be triaged as less urgent and to be initially assessed by junior staff. Conclusions: Our study shows that patients transferred to the intensive care unit within 24 h of ward admission from the emergency department had a significant increase in 30 day mortality compared with patients admitted to the intensive care unit directly from the emergency department, but no difference was found in terms of length of stay and cost.     

Overcrowding in medium‐volume emergency departments: Effects of aged patients in emergency departments on wait times for non‐emergent triage‐level patients

Knapman M, Bonner A. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2010; 16 : 310–317
Overcrowding in medium‐volume emergency departments: Effects of aged patients in emergency departments on wait times for non‐emergent triage‐level patients This study aims to examine patient wait times from triaging to physician assessment in the emergency department (ED) for non‐emergent patients, and to see whether patient flow and process (triage) are impacted by aged patients. A retrospective study method was used to analyse 185 patients in three age groups. Key data recorded were triage level, wait time to physician assessment and ED census. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the strength of association with increased wait time. A longer average wait time for all patients occurred when there was an increase in the number of patients aged ≥ 65 years in the ED. Further analysis showed 12.1% of the variation extending ED wait time associated with the triage process was explained by the number of patients aged ≥ 65 years. In addition, extended wait time, overcrowding and numbers of those who left without being seen were strongly associated (P < 0.05) with the number of aged patients in the ED. The effects of aged patients on ED structure and process have significant implications for nursing. Nursing process and practice sets clear responsibilities for nursing to ensure patient safety. However, the impact of factors associated with aged patients in ED, nursing's role and ED process can negatively impact performance expectations and requires further investigation.     

Triage in the emergency department--a qualitative study of the factors which nurses consider when making decisions

Triage, as a concept, is relatively new in Sweden and means 'sorting'. The triage process was developed to grade patients who needed immediate care. Triage is currently important for the emergency treatment system, and nurses are expected to work with it professionally. The aim of this study is to describe how nurses implement triage when patients arrive at the emergency department of a county hospital, situated in a rural area of Sweden, as well as to highlight the factors considered when prioritizing, in connection with nurses' decision-making. The method used was observations of 19 nurses, with minimal disturbance in their triage work, followed by a short tape-recorded interview, during which the nurses were asked to reflect upon their decision of priorities. Qualitative content analysis of data has been used. The results were divided into two areas, internal factors and external factors. The internal factors reflect the nurse skills and personal capacity. The external factors reflect work environment, including high workload and practical arrangements, and should always be perceived and taken into consideration. Using these factors as a basis, the patients' clinical condition, clinical history, various examinations and tests form an assessment, which subsequently results in a prioritization.     

Pediatric emergency department overcrowding and impact on patient flow outcomes

BACKGROUND: Understanding the impact of overcrowding in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) on quality of care is a growing concern. Boarding admitted patients in the PED and increasing emergency department (ED) visits are two potentially significant factors affecting quality of care. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to describe the impact ED boarding time and daily census have on the timeliness of care in a PED. METHODS: Pediatric ED boarding time and daily census were determined each day from July 2003 to July 2007. Outcome measures included mean length of stay (LOS), time to triage, time to physician, and patient elopement during a 24-hour period. RESULTS: For every 50 patients seen above the average daily volume of 250, LOS increased 14.8 minutes, time to triage increased 6.6 minutes, time to physician increased 18.2 minutes, and number of patient elopements increased by three. For each increment of 24 hours to total ED boarding time, LOS increased 7.6 minutes, time to triage increased 0.6 minutes, time to physician increased 3 minutes, and number of patient elopements increased by 0.6 patients. CONCLUSIONS: ED boarding time and ED daily census show independent associations with increasing overall LOS, time to triage, time to physician, and number of patient elopements in a PED.     

Deliberate self-harm: emergency department nurses' attitudes, triage and care intentions

Aim and objectives. This exploratory study investigates emergency department nurses’ attitudes towards patients who engage in deliberate self‐harm. It examines their attitudes towards, and triage and care decisions with, patients who self‐harm. Background. Emergency department nurses sometimes show unsympathetic attitudes towards patients who present with self‐harm and these can contribute to difficulties in assessing and providing appropriate care. Design. A modified version of the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire was used. A non‐probability sample of 43 emergency department nurses from a large Australian hospital participated in the study. Data were analysed using SPSS. Results. Most nurses had received no educational preparation to care for patients with self‐harm; over 20% claimed that the department either had no practice guidelines for deliberate self‐harm or they did not know of their existence and one‐third who knew of them had not read them. Overall, nurses had sympathetic attitudes towards patients who self‐harm, including both professional and lay conceptualizations of deliberate self‐harm. They did not discriminate against this group of patients in their triage and care decisions. Conclusions. The findings of this exploratory study are important because attitudes can affect care decisions. Recommendations are made for improving the educational preparation of emergency department nurses, for improving awareness and implementation of practice guidelines, and for improving attitudes towards patients with deliberate self‐harm. Further research is needed to confirm these results.     

Giving a voice to the community: A qualitative study of consumer expectations for the emergency department

Objective: To identify consumer expectations with respect to the ED. Methods: Semi‐structured focus groups comprising representatives from a wide range of community groups. Data was analysed using a qualitative analytical approach. Results: The major themes of the groups were communication, triage, waiting area, cultural issues and carers. Consumers expressed the need to be informed about how the ED functions, particularly with regard to the triage process, patient assessment and admissions procedure. Privacy at the triage desk, comfort and safety of the waiting area, provision of facilities for children, cultural awareness of staff, access interpreter services and recognition of the needs of carers were identified as key issues. Conclusion: The recognition of consumer needs provides the opportunity for the ED to develop strategies to match patient needs to service delivery.     

Impact of delayed transfer of critically ill patients from the emergency department to the intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE: Numerous factors can cause delays in transfer to an intensive care unit for critically ill emergency department patients. The impact of delays is unknown. We aimed to determine the association between emergency department "boarding" (holding admitted patients in the emergency department pending intensive care unit transfer) and outcomes for critically ill patients. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional analytical study using the Project IMPACT database (a multicenter U.S. database of intensive care unit patients). Patients admitted from the emergency department to the intensive care unit (2000-2003) were included and divided into two groups: emergency department boarding >or=6 hrs (delayed) vs. emergency department boarding <6 hrs (nondelayed). Demographics, intensive care unit procedures, length of stay, and mortality were analyzed. Groups were compared using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and unpaired Student's t-tests. SETTING: Emergency department and intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Patients admitted from the emergency department to the intensive care unit (2000-2003). INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Main outcomes were intensive care unit and hospital survival and intensive care unit and hospital length of stay. During the study period, 50,322 patients were admitted. Both groups (delayed, n = 1,036; nondelayed, n = 49,286) were similar in age, gender, and do-not-resuscitate status, along with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score in the subgroup for which it was recorded. Among hospital survivors, the median hospital length of stay was 7.0 (delayed) vs. 6.0 days (nondelayed) (p < .001). Intensive care unit mortality was 10.7% (delayed) vs. 8.4% (nondelayed) (p < .01). In-hospital mortality was 17.4% (delayed) vs. 12.9% (nondelayed) (p < .001). In the stepwise logistic model, delayed admission, advancing age, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, male gender, and diagnostic categories of trauma, intracerebral hemorrhage, and neurologic disease were associated with lower hospital survival (odds ratio for delayed admission, 0.709; 95% confidence interval, 0.561-0.895). CONCLUSIONS: Critically ill emergency department patients with a >or=6-hr delay in intensive care unit transfer had increased hospital length of stay and higher intensive care unit and hospital mortality. This suggests the need to identify factors associated with delayed transfer as well as specific determinants of adverse outcomes.     

Triage Standing Orders Decrease Time to Antibiotics in Neonates in Pediatric Emergency Department

IntroductionInfants aged 0 days to 28 days are at high risk for serious bacterial infection and require an extensive evaluation, including blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures, and admission for empiric antibiotics. Although there are no guidelines that recommend a specific time to antibiotics for these infants, quicker administration is presumed to improve care and outcomes. At baseline, 19% of these infants in our emergency department received antibiotics within 120 minutes of arrival, with an average time to antibiotics of 192 minutes. A quality improvement team convened to increase our percentage of infants who receive antibiotics within 120 minutes of arrival.MethodsThe team evaluated all infants aged 0 days to 28 days who received a diagnostic evaluation for a serious bacterial infection and empiric antibiotics in our emergency department. A nurse-driven team implemented multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to improve use of triage standing orders and improve time to antibiotics. Data were analyzed using statistical process control charts.ResultsThrough use of triage standing orders and multiple educational interventions, the team surpassed initial goals, and 84% of the infants undergoing a serious bacterial infection evaluation received antibiotics within 120 minutes of ED arrival. The average time to antibiotics improved to 74 minutes.DiscussionThe use of triage standing orders improves time to antibiotics for infants undergoing a serious bacterial infection evaluation. Increased use, associated with nurse empowerment to drive the flow of these patients, leads to a joint-responsibility model within the emergency department. The cultural shift to allow nurse-initiated work-ups leads to sustained improvement in time to antibiotics.     

Possible solutions for barriers in incident reporting by residents

Rationale, aims and objectives Incident reporting can contribute to safer health care. Since the rate of reporting by residents is low, it is useful to investigate which barriers exist and how these can be solved. Methods Data were collected in a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands. The hospital uses a confidential, voluntary and web‐based incident reporting system. Residents working in the hospital participated in focus group discussions to explore barriers and possible solutions. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the transcribed discussions. Results In each focus group six to eight residents participated, resulting in a total number of 22 participants. After three focus group discussions, information saturation had been reached. Residents do not report all incidents because of a negative attitude towards incident reporting, because they experience a non‐stimulating culture and because of a lack of perceived ability to report. Residents suggest several solutions to solve the barriers: providing the possibility to report anonymously, providing feedback, creating an incident reporting culture, simplifying the procedure, clarifying what and how to report, and exciting residents to report. Conclusions Residents have useful suggestions to resolve the barriers that prevent them from reporting incidents. They include solutions that influence attitude, culture and perceived ability. These suggestions should be considered when making an effort to improve incident reporting by residents.     

Emergency Department Management of Acute Pain Episodes in Sickle Cell Disease

Objectives To characterize the initial management of patients with sickle cell disease and an acute pain episode, to compare these practices with the American Pain Society Guideline for the Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in Sickle-Cell Disease in the emergency department, and to identify factors associated with a delay in receiving an initial analgesic.
Methods This was a multicenter retrospective design. Consecutive patients with an emergency department visit in 2004 for an acute pain episode related to sickle cell disease were included. Exclusion criteria included age younger than 18 years. A structured medical record review was used to abstract data, including the following outcome variables: analgesic agent and dose, route, and time to administration of initial analgesic. Additional variables included demographics, triage level, intravenous access, and study site. Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate regression were used to identify differences in time to receiving an initial analgesic between groups.
Results There were 612 patient visits, with 159 unique patients. Median time to administration of an initial analgesic was 90 minutes (25th to 75th interquartile range, 54–159 minutes). During 87% of visits, patients received the recommended agent (morphine or hydromorphone); 92% received the recommended dose, and 55% received the drug by the recommended route (intravenously or subcutaneously). Longer times to administration occurred in female patients (mean difference, 21 minutes; 95% confidence interval = 7 to 36 minutes; p = 0.003) and patients assigned triage level 3, 4, or 5 versus 1 or 2 (mean difference, 45 minutes; 95% confidence interval = 29 to 61 minutes; p = 0.00). Patients from study sites 1 and 2 also experienced longer delays.
Conclusions Patients with an acute painful episode related to sickle cell disease experienced significant delays to administration of an initial analgesic.     

Ethical prioritization of patients during disaster triage: A systematic review of current evidence

IntroductionTriage is a dynamic and complex decision-making process in order to determine priority of access to medical care in a disaster situation. The elements which should govern an ethical decision-making in prioritizing of victims have been debated for a long time. This paper aims to identify ethical principles guiding patient prioritization during disaster triage.MethodElectronic databases were searched via structured search strategy from 1990 until July 2017. The studies investigating patients’ prioritization in disaster situation were eligible for inclusion. All types of articles and guidelines were included.ResultOf 7167 titles identified in the search, 35 studies were included. The important factors identified in patient prioritization were grouped into two categories: medical measures (medical need, likelihood of benefit and survivability) and Nonmedical measures (saving the most lives, youngest first, preserving function of society, protecting vulnerable groups, required resources and unbiased selection). Demographic characteristics, health status of patients, social value of patient, and unbiased selection are discriminatory factors in disaster triage.ConclusionVarious factors have been introduced to consider ethical patient prioritization in disaster triage. Providers’ engagement, public education, and ongoing training are required to reach a fair decision.     

Violence Against Nurses in the Triage Area: A Mixed-Methods Study

IntroductionWorkplace violence is a serious occupational problem among nurses in emergency departments. The aim of this study was to better understand workplace violence experienced by triage nurses.MethodsA mixed-methods study was carried out with 27 Italian nurses involved in the triage area of an emergency department. Quantitative data were collected using the Violent Incident Form and qualitative data were obtained from 3 focus groups.ResultsNinety-six percent of triage nurses had suffered an episode of violence during the previous year. Participants reported that perpetrators of violence were primarily patients' relatives or friends (62%), usually male and in a lucid state of consciousness. The aggressor was a male patient in 31% of violent episodes. Male nurses reported only verbal abuse, unlike female nurses who suffered both physical and verbal episodes. Females received assistance from other staff during the aggression event more frequently than males, and females more frequently suffered from physical injury. Only physical and verbal aggressions were associated with physical injury. Four main themes emerged from the focus groups.DiscussionNurses reported that high exposure to workplace violence in triaging had significant consequences on their psychological well-being and on their behavior at work and at home. Violence, perceived as a personal and/or professional injury owing to insufficient organizational support, led professionals to experience feelings of resignation and to believe that abuse was an inevitable part of the job. Nevertheless, in our study, the precipitating factors were investigated, suggesting several possible solutions to limit this phenomenon.     

The Effect of Triage-applied Ottawa Ankle Rules on the Length of Stay in a Canadian Urgent Care Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: To determine whether triage nurses ordering ankle or foot radiographs according to the Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR) before physician evaluation decreases the length of stay for patients visiting an urgent care department. Methods: From July to September 2004, a randomized controlled trial of consecutive adult patients with ankle or foot twisting injuries who arrived at an urgent care department was conducted. Patients were included if their age was 18 years or older and their injury had occurred within seven days. They were excluded if there were neurovascular deficits, limb deformities, open fractures, or nonisolated ankle or foot injuries. Patients were randomly allocated to a roentgenogram–ordering clinical pathway (intervention) or to standard departmental care (control). Those assigned to the intervention group had triage nurses applying the OAR, and those with positive OAR were sent for roentgenograms before physician evaluation. Physicians were blinded to negative OAR nurse assessments. Investigators were blinded to group allocation. The primary outcome was the total mean length of stay (TLOS). The secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction (five‐point ordinal scale) and the proportion willing to return to the site for future care. Two–independent sample t‐test was used to analyze the TLOS. The Kruskal‐Wallis test was used to analyze satisfaction ratings differences between groups. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the willing‐to‐return outcome. This study had 80% power to detect an effect size of 25 minutes. Results: Two hundred thirty‐two patients were eligible; 130 patients gave consent and were enrolled. Three patients were then excluded, three were lost to follow‐up, and one left without being seen. The intervention and control groups had mean TLOS of 73.0 minutes and 79.7 minutes, respectively. There was a statistically nonsignificant time difference of ?6.7 minutes (95% CI =?20.9 to 7.4) between groups. There were no differences in patient satisfaction ratings (p‐value = 0.343) or WOR (3.8%; 95% CI =?3.3% to 11.0%). Conclusions: The use of OAR and the ordering of roentgenograms by triage nurses before physician evaluation for twisting ankle or foot injuries does not decrease the length of stay in an urgent care department.