Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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We aimed to determine the inter-rater reliability of ultrasonographic optic nerve sheath diameter measurements performed by emergency nurses. ⋯ There is good inter-rater reliability among emergency nurses with no previous experience in measuring the optic nerve sheath diameter with point-of-care ultrasound.
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The conflation of mandated screening question data collection with patient assessment at the initial triage encounter challenges the ability of the emergency nurse to identify patients at risk for deterioration rapidly and accurately. Further, inexperienced triage nurses are generally challenged in differentiating between questions that establish stability and questions that meet other requirements. The aims of the study included exploration of how triage nurses identified critical data elements to facilitate more rapid and accurate patient triage and Emergency Severity Index acuity assignment, perceptions of appropriate location of assessment elements, and identifying common triage processes. ⋯ Emergency nurses identified critical triage data necessary to assign an Emergency Severity Index level. We recommend that future research focus on evaluation of a triage process that removes screening not directly related to the triage decision in terms of nursing accuracy in assigning an Emergency Severity Index level and patient outcomes.