Exploring the Variability in Triage Nursing Workload: Insights From a Multicentre Observational Study.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Nursing Workload Analysis
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Limited research exists on the specific workload of emergency department (ED) triage nurses.
• Understanding triage nurse workload is crucial for patient safety and efficient ED operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess workload fluctuations of triage nurses across different EDs.
• To examine how ED visit volumes and seasonal changes impact triage nurse workload.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, multicentre observational study (2019-2023) in seven Italian EDs.
• Data collected on patient triage assessments and nurse staffing per shift.
• EDs categorized by annual patient inflow (high, medium, low).

Main Results:

• Over 1.2 million triage assessments analyzed.
• Daytime median patients per nurse: 74 (high), 63 (medium), 32 (low) inflow EDs.
• Nighttime median patients per nurse: 26 (high), 14 (medium), 5 (low) inflow EDs.
• Significant seasonal variations in workload were observed.

Conclusions:

• Substantial disparities exist in triage nurse patient loads, influenced by ED volume and seasonality.
• Need for standardized, equitable workload distribution among triage nurses.
• Future research should focus on systematic nurse staffing models for triage to ensure manageable workloads and patient safety.