J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2017 Dec;28(6):552-556. 10.0000/jksem.2017.28.6.552.

Reliability of Korean Triage and Acuity Scale-based Triage System as a Severity Index in Emergency Patients

• Kim JY
• Hong DY
• Kim SY
• Kim JW
• Park SO
• Lee KR
• Baek KJ

• KMID: 2403272
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2017.28.6.552

Abstract

PURPOSE
Triage is an important process in a hospital emergency department (ED). The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS)-based triage system was developed for use in Korean EDs as a triage tool. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence of its reliability in KTAS. This study assessed the KTAS reliability by comparing skilled nurses and poly-clinic students.
METHODS
This study was a prospective study. All adult patients over the age of 15 years who visited the ED during the study period were included. The patients were triaged independently by a primary triage nurse and poly-clinic student using KTAS, and their scores were compared.
RESULTS
A total of 168 patients were enrolled in this study. In the nurse group, 3%, 8.9%, 45.8%, 38.1%, and 4.2% were assigned to levels 1,2,3,4, and 5, respectively. In the poly-clinic group, 3.6%, 10.7%, 43.5%, 33.9%, and 8.3% were assigned to levels 1,2,3,4, and 5, respectively. The percentage of each level using KTAS was similar. Using the interrater agreement, the weighted Kappa was 0.721 (95% confidence interval, 0.215 to 1.000).
CONCLUSION
KTAS appears to be a good tool for triaging patients according to the severity, and it is helpful to order the priority for utilization in a Korean ED.

Keyword

Severity of illness index; Emergency service; Hospitals; Triage; Reliability

MeSH Terms

Adult
Emergencies*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Humans
Prospective Studies
Severity of Illness Index
Triage*