Strides in Development of Medical Education

The Need for Education and Improvement of Occupational Knowledge: Experience of Telephone Triage Nurses in the 115 Emergency Call Center of the Emergency Medical Services and Disaster Management Center at Kerman University of Medical Sciences Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Ali Azarnoush 1
Shayesteh Salehi 2

1 M.Sc. Student of Nursing, School of Nursing, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

2 Ph.D. in Nursing Education, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Khorasgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract
Background & Objective: Efficient emergency call answering services are vital for the medical emergency services all around the world The provision of emergency services is based on ordering and prioritizing received calls In addition educating this kind of services has a prominent role in answer time and quality The aim of this study was to describe the experience of telephone triage nurses in 115 Emergency Call Center of the Emergency Medical Services and Disaster Management Center at Kerman University of Medical Sciences Iran Methods: This study was conducted in form of phenomenological qualitative study The sample was selected based on purposive sampling method including 5 nurses in emergency medical services at Kerman University of Medical Sciences with at least 5 years of experience in the 115 Emergency Call Center Data were collected using deep unstructured individual interviews The average time of each interview was 63 minutes and an electronic recorder was used to record the interviews The data were analyzed using Colaizzi method The collected data were reconsidered by the researcher in order to confirm their reliability Results: From the interviews 737 summarized concepts were extracted and formed 9 thematic categorizations Finally the 3 themes of “performing cultural and societal roles” “performing professional and organizational roles” and “performing personal roles” were obtained Experiences of nurses were stated in the form of a compact and continuum set between strengths opportunities weaknesses and threats Conclusion: The findings of the study can be summarized in two fundamental points First evaluation skills which are used in facetoface consultation cannot be transferred directly by telephone This shows that specific training on telephone consultation treatment evaluation and decisionmaking skills should be provided for triage nurses who work at such centers Second a greater degree of job satisfaction can be achieved among the emerging class of telephone triage nurses through allowing independent decisionmaking and decreasing decisionmaking errors by consistent telephone triage instructions and creating suitable educational methods in order to control experienced stresses These are points that must be considered by the Medical Emergency and Disaster Management Centre to promote occupational knowledge of nurses in 115 Emergency Call Center

Keywords

Triage nurses
Telephone triage
Experience
Emergency medical dispatcher
Disaster Management Center
Education
  1. Wikipedia. Triage. [Cited 12 May 2014]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triage.
  2. Afshari A, Pakdel M, Abbasi M. Triage. Mashhad: Bang Alast Pub; 2006: 72. [In Persian]
  3. Hoseeni M. Triage in disaster. Tehran: Abnus Pub; 2008: 102. [In Persian]
  4. Briggs  JK.  Telephone  triage  protocols  for  nurses. 3th  ed.  New  York:  Lippincott  Williams  & Wilkins;  2008:  560.
  5. Wheeler  SQ.  Telephone  Triage  Nursing:  Roles, Tools,  and  Rules.  [Cited  9  May  2014].  Available from: http:// www.nursingceu.com/courses/290/index_nceu.ht ml.
  6. Purc-Stephenson  RJ1,  Thrasher  C.  Nurses’ experiences  with  telephone  triage  and  advice:  a meta-ethnography.  J  Adv  Nurs.  2010;  66(3):48294.
  7. Smith  A,  Cone  KJ.  Triage  decision-making  skills: a  necessity  for  all  nurses.  J  Nurses  Staff  Dev. 2010;  26(1):E14-9.
  8. Bledsoe  BE,  Porter  R,  Cherry  RA.  Intermediate emergency  care:  principles  &  practice.  New Jersey:  Prentice  Hall;  2006:  1216.
  9. Huibers  L,  Keizer  E,  Giesen  P,  Grol  R,  Wensing M.  Nurse  telephone  triage:  good  quality associated  with  appropriate  decisions.  Fam  Pract. 2012;  29(5):547-52.
  10. Moss  EL.  "Just  a  telephone  call  away": transforming  the  nursing  profession  with  telecare and  telephone  nursing  triage.  Nurs  Forum.  2014; 49(4):233-9.
  11. Bohm K  Castrén  M.  Emergency  medical  dispatch. With  increasing  research  it  is  important  to  unify the  reporting.  Resuscitation.  2014;  85(1):3-4.
  12. Ek B,  Svedlund  M.  Registered  nurses' experiences  of  their  decision-making  at  an Emergency  Medical  Dispatch  Centre.  J  Clin  Nurs. 2015;  24(7-8):1122-31.
  13. Khorram-Manesh A,  Lennquist  Montan  K, Hedelin  A,  Kihlgren  M,  Ortenwall  PO. Prehospital  triage,  discrepancy  in  priority-setting between  emergency  medical  dispatch  centre  and ambulance  crews.  Eur  J  Trauma  Emerg  Surg. 2011;  37(1):  73–8.
  14. Dunford  JV.  Emergency  medical  dispatch.  Emerg Med  Clin  North  Am.  2002;  20(4):  859-75.
  15. Holloway  I.  Qualitative  Research  Methods.  New York:  Routledge;  2006:  221.
  16. Abedi  HA.  Applying  phenomenological  method of  research  in  clinical  sciences.  Rahbord.  2010; 19(54):  207-24.  [In  Persian]
  17. Mimohammah-Hosseini SA.  Qualitative  Research Method.  [Cited  20  May  2014].  Available  from: http://www.aghorbani.blogfa.com/post-42.aspx
  18. Shakespeare-Finch J,  Rees  A,  Armstrong  D. Social  Support,  Self-efficacy,  Trauma  and  WellBeing  in  Emergency  Medical  Dispatchers.  Soc Indicators  Res.  2014;  123(7):  549-65.
  19. Wahlberg  AC,  Cedersund  E,  Wredling  R. Telephone  nurses’  experience  of  problems  with telephone  advice  in  Sweden.  J  Clin  Nurs.  2003; 12(1):37-45.
  20. Abedsaeedi  Z,  Mozafari  M,  Pazargadi  M,  AlaviMajd  H.  Basic  requirements  for  implementation of  total  quality  management  in  Centers  of Emergency  Medical  Services  in  Iran  according EFQM  model.  J  Nurs  Midwifery  Quart.  2011; 21(72): 45-54.   [In  Persian]
  21. Farahabadi SME,  Fattahi  M,  Artang  M, Hassanzadeh  A.  Organizational  Commitment  of Staff  in  Isfahan  Emergency  Medical  and Disaster  Management  Center.  Health  Inf Manage.  2013;  9(7):  997-1005.  [In  Persian]
  22. Forslund  K,  Kihlgren  M,  Sorlie  V.  Experiences  of adding  nurses  to  increase  medical  competence  at an  emergency  medical  dispatch  centre.  Accid Emerg  Nurs.  2006;  14(4):230-6.
  23. Nikpeyma  N,  Ashktorab  T.  Nurses'  views  about factors  affecting  the  professional  roles.  J  Health Promotion  Management.  2012;  1(3):  73-84.
Strides in Development of Medical Education
Volume 13, Issue 2
2016
Pages 160-171

Home

Editorial Policy

Submit Manuscript

Guide for Authors

Peer Review Process

Guide for Reviewers

Publication Ethics Policy

Forms

Suggestion and Complain

FAQ

Contact Us