Table 3 Tally chart of examinations carried out and tests ordered in triage.
| Factors | Yes | No | Missing data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tasks carried out in triage | |||
| Visual examination carried out of injury/sign | 112 | 138 | 7 |
| Examine documentation (reading letters from GPs or notes from the patient's previous admissions) | 37* | 214 | 6 |
| Observations and tests carried out in triage | |||
| ECG carried out | 22* | 232 | 3 |
| Measure temperature | 37* | 213 | 7 |
| Measure O2 saturations | 44* | 207 | 6 |
| Measure pulse | 43* | 208 | 6 |
| Measure blood pressure | 38 | 212 | 7 |
| Measure blood glucose | 5 | 244 | 8 |
| Tests ordered to be carried out within the department | |||
| Order urine test | 20 | 228 | 9 |
| Order x rays | 21 | 228 | 8 |
| Order blood tests | 0 | 248 | 9 |
ECG, electrocardiogram; GP, general practitioner.
*Shown to be related to a significant increase in triage time where time data were recorded: Mann–Whitney U test p<0.05 (n = 251 for examining documentation, measuring O2 saturations, measuring pulse; n = 253 for ECG, n = 250 for measuring temperature).