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International Journal of Emergency Medicine

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Open Access 01-12-2015 | Original research

Reliability of Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) in Saudi Arabia

Authors: Mustafa Alquraini, Emad Awad, Ra’ed Hijazi

Published in: International Journal of Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

The Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) is an integral part of the Canadian emergency medicine triaging system. There is growing interest and implementation of CTAS worldwide. However, little is known about its reliability outside Canada. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability agreement of CTAS in a tertiary care emergency center in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

Ten triage nurses (five senior and five junior nurses) utilized CTAS guidelines to independently assign a triage level for 160 real case-based scenarios. Quadratic weighted kappa statistics were used to measure raters’ agreements.

Results

Raters provided 1600 triage category assignments to case scenarios for analysis. Intra-rater agreement was similar for both senior and junior nurses; for senior nurses (SN1) kappa 0.871 95 % CI (0.840–0.897), and for junior nurses (SN2) kappa 0.871 95 % CI (0.839–0.898). Inter-rater agreement for the SN1 versus SN2 nurses had statistically meaningful agreement across different triage levels (weighted kappa = 0.770) 95 % CI (0.742–0.797).

Conclusions

CTAS has good reliability among emergency department (ED) triage nurses in King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Saudi Arabia. The findings suggest that CTAS might be a reliable instrument when applied in countries outside Canada.

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Title: Reliability of Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mustafa Alquraini
Emad Awad
Ra’ed Hijazi
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: International Journal of Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1865-1372
Electronic ISSN: 1865-1380
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-015-0080-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Reliability of Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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