Table 4 Tally chart of occurrences and distractions in the triage process.
| Factors | Yes | No | Missing data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplementary task factors | |||
| Temporary dressing given before waiting for full ED examination | 6 | 250 | 1 |
| Time spent in preparing documentation for patient | 25* | 230 | 2 |
| Triage staff absent when patient is in triage | 22* | 234 | 1 |
| Information sought to support the triage task decision making | 16* | 238 | 3 |
| Support factors | |||
| Specialty giving undesirable response | 5 | 250 | 2 |
| Problems with phone/bleep contact (wrong/not answering) | 7 | 248 | 2 |
| Porter problems | 4 | 251 | 2 |
| Triage staff escorting patient into the department | 65* | 180 | 12 |
| Patient factors influencing triage task complexity | |||
| Patient gives an “inappropriate history” as recorded by triage staff on computer | 11 | 244 | 2 |
| Patient is relabelled from code given at reception to code given at triage | 76 | 176 | 5 |
| Labelled from chest pain to other code | 6 | ||
| Labelled from other code to chest pain | 7 | ||
| Patient does not have the appropriate documents | 3 | 252 | 2 |
| Patient has language problems | 54 | 201 | 2 |
| Patient behaves violently (verbal or physical) | 0 | 255 | 2 |
| Patient has experience/knowledge in clinical practice | 6 | 249 | 2 |
| Equipment‐related factors | |||
| Patient requiring wheelchair | 7 | 248 | 1 |
| Equipment missing or failed in triage | 8 | 247 | 2 |
| Addressed by leaving triage | 6 | ||
| Addressed by suboptimal triage process | 2 | ||
| Computer problems | 12* | 243 | 2 |
| Drugs cupboard keys missing | 0 | 254 | 3 |
| Interruptions | |||
| Triage staff is interrupted by paramedic/external staff (eg, hospital suppliers, staff visitors) | 6 | 249 | 2 |
| Triage staff is interrupted by ED/local hospital staff | 25 | 230 | 2 |
| Triage staff is interrupted by patient/family member | 28 | 227 | 1 |
| Interrupted by phone calls relating to current patient | 15* | 240 | 2 |
| Specialty expected | 5 | ||
| Not expected but triaged to a specialty | 4 | ||
| Interrupted by phone calls not relating to current patient (other patient/issue) | 23* | 232 | 2 |
ED, emergency department.
*Shown to be related to a significant increase in triage time when the time data were recorded: Mann–Whitney p<0.05 (n = 255 for preparing documentation, triage staff absent when patient in triage, computer problems, phone calls relating to current patient, phone calls not related to current patient; n = 254 for where information is sought to support the triage task, n = 244 for when the triage staff escorted the patient into the department).