Evaluating the Disaster Triage Knowledge of Nurses Personnel in Public Hospitals of Ilam

Background: Educational planning and managing critical situations of accidents and disasters are among the most important issues. Triage, which means the classification of patients and injuries based on specific situations and needs, is one of the important tasks of hospitals at times of disasters. In this study, triage knowledge and practice of nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Ilam University of Medical Sciences are evaluated. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional and analytic study conducted in ۲۰۱۷. The statistical population comprised all nurses working in Ilam Medical Sciences hospitals. Using Cochran’s formula, ۱۷۴ people were sampled and ۱۶۰ of them completed the study questionnaires and returned them. The main tool of collecting data was a researcher-made questionnaire based on Canadian triage scale. Validity of the questionnaire was assessed by ۱۰ members of the Ilam University of Medical Sciences. The reliability of the questionnaire was between ۰.۸۳ and ۰.۸۹ using Cronbach α coefficient. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS. Results: The Mean±SD duration of nurses’ working in the emergency department was ۵.۲±۳.۴ years, of which ۴۶.۲% had an experience of using triage. The Mean±SD score of nurses’ knowledge and practice of triage were respectively ۱۰.۴۴±۲.۱۱ and ۹.۲۲±۲.۱۴ out of ۱۵. There was no significant relationship between work experience, gender and age with knowledge and practice of triage, but there was a significant relationship between knowledge and practice of nurses about triage with nursing educational degree. Conclusion: The level of nurses’ knowledge and practice of triage in hospitals of Ilam University of Medical Sciences is moderate.