Teleassistance and Artificial Intelligence to Support Prehospital Triage by Emergency Nurses: A Scoping Review

To map and critically synthesize international evidence on the use of teleassistance and artificial intelligence to support emergency nurses in prehospital triage.

Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are reshaping emergency care systems. In Europe, emergency nurses working within dispatch and telecommunication centers (112/118; 112 being the pan-European emergency number and 118 being the Italian national emergency medical service number) increasingly manage remote assessments using video and algorithmic tools. However, evidence on their impact, safety, and integration into clinical practice remains limited.

A scoping review was conducted according to Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Searches in PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Embase (2005-2024) identified studies involving nurses using teleassistance or artificial intelligence in prehospital triage. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework. Data were synthesized narratively, and the methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.

The search identified 1214 records. After removing 304 duplicates, 910 titles and abstracts were screened independently by 2 reviewers, of which 165 reports were sought for retrieval in full text. Of note, 72 reports (43.6%) could not be retrieved, principally reflecting restricted full-text access rather than deliberate exclusion. The remaining 93 reports were assessed for eligibility, and only 5 studies met the inclusion criteria: 2 experimental studies on video calls, 2 observational studies on digital and artificial intelligence triage systems, and 1 qualitative study on cognitive processes in telephone triage. Video teleassistance was associated with fewer inappropriate ED transfers and increased professional confidence. Digital and artificial intelligence systems were associated with improved triage consistency and timeliness. The qualitative study illustrated the high cognitive complexity of remote assessment. The mean Joanna Briggs Institute quality score was 83%, with no high-risk studies.

This scoping review maps a small but consistent body of evidence indicating that teleassistance and artificial intelligence can strengthen the accuracy, timeliness, and confidence of emergency nurses during remote triage, while confirming that structured governance, training, and human oversight remain essential and that further nurse-led research is needed.