• A Legrand, F Thys, E Vermeiren, M Touwaide, W D'Hoore, V Hubin, and M S Reynaert.
• Ecole de Santé Publique, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs, 30 B. 1200 Bruxelles.
• Rech Soins Infirm. 2003 Mar 1(72):145-9.

IntroductionAt present, most emergency services handle the multitude of various demands in the same unity of place and by the same team of nurses aides, with direct consequences on the waiting time and in the handling of problems of varying degrees of importance. Our service examines other administrative models based on a triage of time and of orientation.Methods And ResultsIn a prospective study on 679 patients, we have validated a triage tool inspired from the ICEM model (International Cooperation of Emergency Medicine) allowing patients to receive, while they wait, information and training, based on the resources provided, in order to deal with their particular medical problem.ConclusionThe validation of this tool was carried out in terms of its utilization as well as its reliability. It appears that, with the type of triage offered, there is a theoretical reserve of waiting time for the patients in which the urgency is relative, and which could be better used in the handling of more vital cases.

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