Evaluation of the triage knowledge level of healthcare professionals working in emergency departments in Tokat

Introduction: Triage refers to the process of prioritization made by a physician or healthcare personnel trained in this regard, taking into account the complaints about their illnesses, the severity of the symptoms and the urgency of their medical conditions.The aim of this study is to determine the triage knowledge level of healthcare workers working in emergency services in Tokat. Material and Method: The population of this descriptive study consists of healthcare professionals working in Tokat. In the study, a "Questionnaire Form" existing in the literature was used. After the necessary permissions were obtained, it was applied in accordance with the approval obtained from the evaluation commission of the research requests of Tokat provincial health directorate. Ratio, mean (x), standard deviation (SD), Mann Whitney U test and Kruskall Wallis test were used to evaluate the data. It was evaluated at the significance level of P <0.05. Results: A total of 222 volunteer health workers were included in the study. It was determined that the gender difference had no effect on the triage score and there was no significant difference (p = 0.117). It was determined that marital status significantly affected the triage knowledge score (p = 0.001). Considering the distribution of triage knowledge points according to the education level of healthcare professionals, it was found that there was no significant difference among healthcare professionals who received or did not receive training related to triage in their professional life or during education (p = 0.076). It was revealed that there is a significant difference in the triage knowledge score distribution of healthcare workers working in Red, Yellow, Green and all fields (p = 0.039). Conclusion: It has been revealed that healthcare professionals working in the emergency department should question their knowledge and skills about triage. The importance of updating the information with in-service training, seminars or conferences within the institution is emphasized.