Assessment of Knowledge Regarding Emergency Severity Index (ESI) Triage among the 4th Year B.Sc. Nursing Students Studying at KLEU'S Institute of Nursing Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka

Background: Triage began with the military during World War I. The military leaders needed a process they could use to determine which soldiers could returns to duty and when, the concept of triage was born. At the time, no scientific method of triage existed. Emergency Severity Index triage is a modified triage system, it is an emergency department triage algorithm that provide clinically relevant stratification of patients into five group from most argent on the basis of acuity and resource needs (AHRQ).

One benefit of the ESI is the rapid identification of patients that need immediate attention. The focus of ESI triage is on quick sorting of patients in the setting of constrained resources. ESI triage is a rapid sorting into five groups with clinically meaningful differences.

Problem statement: "A study to assess the knowledge regarding Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage among the 4^th year B.Sc. Nursing students studying at KLEU' s Institute of Nursing Sciences in Belgaum, Karnataka."

Objectives: To assess the knowledge of 4^th year B.Sc. Nursing students regarding ESI triage system.

* To develop information booklet on ESI triage.

Method: The study considered descriptive design as the most suitable for investigation so as to describe, record, analyze and interpret the existing knowledge of 4^th year B.Sc. Nursing students studying in KLEU's Institute of Nursing Sciences, Belgaum Karnataka. The sample size comprised of 50 students. The non probability purposive sampling technique was use for the present study. The knowledge was assessed in ESI triage by use of 25 Multiple Choice Questionnaires. Through the structured knowledge questionnaires it to overall 1 hours to conduct the test. The data was tabulated and analyzed.

Result: Demographic characteristics of sample: The characteristics of the study were Age, Religion, Source Of Information. In this study 62% were of the age group 21-22 years, 34% were of the age group 23-24 years, 4% were of the age 25 and above. Regarding religion were 66% were Hindus, 30% were Christian, 4% were Muslims. Among source of information, were got information from books, 12% were got information from hospitals, 4% were got information from teacher, 2% were got information from any other of means. The knowledge score of ESI triage among students, the mean is 13, median is 25.5, mode is 7.5, standard deviation is 7.35 and range is 13. The average level of knowledge is 49(98%) and only 01(2%) has good knowledge.

Conclusion: Based on the present study, the following conclusions were drown. Most of the students had average level of knowledge in ESI triage. Some area in the knowledge aspect were neglecting, this fact has to be taken into consideration and it is very essential an important to create an awareness and developed a standard policy and procedure manual and in service education strategies to upgrade and update knowledge of the students.