The Relationship between Decision-Making Power and Accuracy of Nurses in the Triage of Emergency Department Patients

Abstract Background Triage is a key process in the management of emergency patients, facilitating the prioritization of medical services, enhancing patient safety and quality of care, and optimizing resource allocation in the emergency department. This study aimed to determine the relationship between decision-making power and the accuracy of nurses in the triage of patients in the emergency department. Methods This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024, involving 201 nurses working in the emergency departments of hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences who were recruited through convenient sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Triage Decision-Making Inventory (TDMI), and 10 standard scenarios published in the fifth edition of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) in 2023. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and statistical tests including Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and chi-square tests. Results The mean score of decision-making power among nurses was 118.80 ± 12.67, and the mean score of triage accuracy was 10.68 ± 3.10, both of which were assessed as moderate. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between triage decision-making power and triage accuracy (r: 0.25, p < 0.0001). Conclusion The findings indicate that decision-making power plays a crucial role in the accuracy of emergency nurses performing triage. Moreover, individual and occupational factors may also influence these two variables. Therefore, addressing these factors in educational and managerial planning can improve nurses' triage performance and enhance the quality of emergency services. Triage decision-making power, triage accuracy, nurse, triage, emergency department