-transparent.png){kind=logo}
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a set of published triage guidelines identifies patients who can safely be refused emergency department care. METHODS Historical cohort study. METHODS A public hospital ED. METHODS All patients triaged during a one-week period who were not in the most acute triage category. METHODS Two ED nurses, blinded to the study hypothesis, reviewed each triage sheet to determine whether the case met the published guidelines for refusing care. In addition, each ED record was reviewed for appropriateness; a visit was considered appropriate only if predetermined, explicit criteria were met and an emergency physician agreed that a 24-hour delay in care might have worsened the patient's outcome. RESULTS Of the 106 patients who would have been refused care according to the triage guidelines, 35 (33%) had appropriate visits. Four were hospitalized. CONCLUSIONS When tested in our patient population, the triage guidelines were not sufficiently sensitive to identify patients who needed ED care. Broad application of these guidelines may jeopardize the health of some patients.
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
March 1990,
Annals of emergency medicine,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
December 1994,
Journal of emergency nursing,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
November 2023,
Emergency nurse : the journal of the RCN Accident and Emergency Nursing Association,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
April 2000,
Pediatrics,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
January 2016,
Journal of emergency management (Weston, Mass.),
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
November 2014,
CJEM,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
November 2004,
CJEM,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
January 2005,
CJEM,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
May 1982,
Annals of emergency medicine,
R A Lowe, and
A B Bindman, and
S K Ulrich, and
G Norman, and
T A Scaletta, and
D Keane, and
D Washington, and
K Grumbach
July 2017,
CJEM,
