Reliability and validity of the Toowoomba Adult Trauma Triage Tool: a Queensland, Australia study

Abstract

[Summary]: Introduction: In Australia a nationally adopted five tiered triage scale called the Australasian triage scale (ATS) is used for the purpose of differentiating patient acuity levels for all patients that present to an emergency department (ED). The scale was formulated with the aim of promoting a standardized approach to triage. Numerous studies now suggest that the ATS has not been successful in achieving this intention. The Toowoomba adult trauma triage tool (TATTT) seeks to address this deficiency by providing an evidence based, reproducible, reliable and valid method of triage categorisation, albeit in a select group of patients. Method: Ten triage nurses from Toowoomba health service (THS) and five from Princess Alexandra Hospital in Queensland, Australia were enrolled in the study. Each participant rated five written simulations before receiving training in the TATTT. Each participant then rated nine written scenarios, five simulated scenarios on video and one computer simulated scenario with the TATTT. Parallel triaging of actual adult injury based presentations to THS ED was also undertaken.