Hospital Triage Decision-Making Index Cues and Heuristics among Emergency Room Nurses in Selected Private Hospitals in 2nd and 3rd District of Laguna.

Triage decision-making skills are crucial in nursing, where rapid decisions are needed under uncertainty. This study aimed to determine the level of triage decision-making skills among emergency room nurses in selected private hospitals in the 2nd and 3rd districts of Laguna, and the factors influencing the use of cues and heuristics in nursing practice. A quantitative descriptive-correlational method, involving 67 emergency room nurses as respondents of the study. Data were gathered using an adopted research questionnaire, the Triage Decision Making Inventory (TDMI), and research-made questionnaires based on the literature. The results indicated that respondents had very high levels of triage decision-making skills across all domains; most nurses rated themselves as very good to excellent. Environmental factors, workload, time pressures, and patient volumes were rated very high to extremely high as factors that influenced cues and heuristics use. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between triage decision-making skills and identified factors that influence cues and heuristics use, all of which were statistically significant at p < .001, with critical thinking being the strongest predictor of all. The findings indicate emergency room nurses had very high clinical decision-making skills; their use of cues and heuristics is also influenced by a range of factors, including those related to workload, time pressures, and environmental demands, highlighting the need for ongoing professional development and support systems to ensure accurate decision-making for emergency nursing practice. The study recommends emergency room nurses engage in continuing professional development programs focusing on triage prioritization and time management.