Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
08:25
Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
1.3K
The Triage Interruptions Assessment Tool: An Instrument Development
Kimberly D Johnson1, Gordon L Gillespie, Kimberly Vance
1College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (Drs Johnson and Gillespie); and Emergency Department, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio (Dr Vance).
Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal
|October 30, 2016
Summary
Interruptions in healthcare triage can cause errors. This study developed a reliable instrument to measure triage interruptions and their causes, improving patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare quality and safety
- Nursing research
- Patient assessment
Background:
- Interruptions are a significant factor in medical errors, particularly during patient triage.
- Inaccurate patient acuity assessment due to interruptions can lead to inappropriate resource allocation and care.
- A validated instrument is needed to accurately measure triage interruptions and their impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an instrument for categorizing and measuring the number and causes of interruptions during the triage process.
- To create a tool sensitive to the unique challenges of the triage environment.
- To enhance the scientific understanding of interruptions in emergency care settings.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods, exploratory sequential design involving three phases.
- Phase 1: Qualitative focus groups to explore triage interruptions.
- Phase 2: Content Validity Assessment using an online survey and Content Validity Index (CVI).
- Phase 3: Descriptive correlational design to assess interrater reliability.
Main Results:
- The developed instrument incorporated items from focus groups and added new ones.
- The instrument's content validity was initially 0.82, increasing to 0.91 after refinement.
- Interrater reliability for the instrument was substantial at 0.773.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully developed an instrument with strong psychometric properties to measure triage interruptions.
- This validated instrument can be utilized in practice to identify interruption patterns and their effects on the triage process.
- Understanding and mitigating triage interruptions can contribute to reducing catastrophic errors in healthcare.
