The identification of WHO emergency signs in children by nurses at triage in an emergency department

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends the use of a three-tier triage system to recognise a sick child in low- and middle-income countries. The three tiers are based on standardised emergency and priority signs. No studies have evaluated the prevalence or reliable detection of these emergency signs.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence of WHO emergency signs and the underlying causes, and to determine whether nurses could reliably detect these signs in children presenting to the emergency department at Port Moresby General Hospital in Papua New Guinea.

METHODS: A prospective study measured inter-rater agreement between nurses at triage and a blinded second assessor trained in paediatrics.

RESULTS: The prevalence of emergency signs was 16.7%: 32 of 192 children had these signs at presentation; 18 (9.4%) had severe respiratory distress; 10 (5.2%) had severe dehydration; and 3 (1.6%) had convulsions. There was an acceptable inter-rater agreement between nurses and doctors (Cohen's Kappa score >0.4) for some signs: subcostal recession, intercostal recession, nasal flaring, lethargy, weak volume pulses, convulsions, sunken eyes and a poor conscious state. Obstructed breathing, cyanosis, tracheal tug and cold hands and feet were less commonly detected and had poor inter-rater agreement (Kappa score <0.4).

CONCLUSIONS: Effective screening at triage can enable prompt emergency treatment by nurses and can help focus doctors' attention on children who require it most. There is a need for additional training in the identification of some emergency signs.

ABBREVIATIONS: CED: children's emergency department; ETAT: emergency triage assessment and treatment; HCC: Hospital Care for Children; PMGH: Port Moresby General Hospital; PNG: Papua New Guinea; WHO: World Health Organization.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:44

Enthalten in:

Paediatrics and international child health - 44(2024), 1 vom: 11. Apr., Seite 8-12

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Masta, Rachel [VerfasserIn]
Kukupe, Everlyn [VerfasserIn]
Marcus, Rupert [VerfasserIn]
Duke, Trevor [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Health care workers
IMCI
Journal Article
Quality improvement
Triage
WHO Emergency signs

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 12.04.2024

Date Revised 12.04.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1080/20469047.2024.2328903

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM369726332