A review of the quality assurance processes for the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) and implications for future practice

Abstract

Triage is a critical component in the delivery of time-sensitive emergency care. Decision-making and the activity of the triage nurse affect patient access to care and allocation of emergency department (ED) resources. It is important to be able to evaluate decision-making at triage to ensure patient safety, and to identify opportunities for professional and service development. At present, there is no standard approach to retrospective examination of triage decisions using the Australasian Triage Scale. The aim of this literature review is to identify the quality control strategies used in triage and the factors that appear to influence triage decisions in relation to the Australasian Triage Scale.