Table 1 Baseline characteristics of sampled charts (n = 400).
| Variable | Frequency | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| (n = 400) | ||
| Demographics | ||
| Age at injury (years) (mean (SD)) | 8.91 (5.69) | |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 232 | 58.0% |
| Female | 167 | 41.8% |
| Missing | 1 | 0.25% |
| Characteristics of the ED visit | ||
| ED site | ||
| A | 68 | 17.0% |
| B | 67 | 16.8% |
| C | 152 | 38.0% |
| D | 113 | 28.3% |
| Day of the week of ED visit | ||
| Weekend (Sat–Sun) | 117 | 29.3% |
| Weekday (Mon–Fri) | 283 | 70.8% |
| Season of ED visit | ||
| Summer (June, July, August) | 91 | 22.8% |
| Autumn (September, October, November) | 112 | 28.0% |
| Winter (December, January, February) | 94 | 23.5% |
| Spring (March, April, May) | 103 | 25.8% |
| Time of ED visit | ||
| Midnight to 07:59 | 26 | 6.5% |
| 08:00 to 15:59 | 148 | 37.0% |
| 16:00 to 23:59 | 226 | 56.5% |
| Means of arrival at ED | ||
| Ambulance | 12 | 3.0% |
| Self/parent | 388 | 97.0% |
| Discharge status | ||
| Admitted to hospital | 9 | 2.3% |
| Treated and discharged | 381 | 95.3% |
| Missing | 10 | 2.5% |
| Severity of injury* | ||
| Severe | 142 | 35.5% |
| Not severe | 258 | 64.5% |
| ED charting | ||
| Triage form in chart | ||
| Yes | 101 | 25.3% |
| No | 299 | 74.8% |
| Nurse notes in chart | ||
| Yes | 221 | 55.3% |
| No | 179 | 44.8% |
| Physician notes in chart | ||
| Yes | 389 | 97.3% |
| No | 11 | 2.8% |
| Summary of chart documentation | ||
| Physician notes and nurse notes or triage | 262 | 65.5% |
| form | ||
| Only physician notes | 132 | 33.0% |
| Missing/incomplete data | 6 | 1.5% |
*Severe injuries were defined as an injury with any of the following characteristics: concussion or other head injury (including lacerations to the head); fracture; neck sprain/strain; requiring admission to hospital or transfer to a different hospital.
Totals may add up to more than 100% owing to rounding.
ED, emergency department.