Assessment of sorting out in the casualty -emergency and accidents department Omdurman teaching hospital (OTH-EA)

Abstract

Sorting out of sick people in casualty means rating/grouping at triage area rely on their illness and degree of trauma mild, moderate, severe or very severe for handling, therapy, and probability of survival. The objective of this study was to assess, the effectiveness of the system in the casualty concerning rating/grouping of sick people attending triage region.

Methods: It was descriptive-analytical study in EA department OTH May 2008 includes 700 participants by simple random sampling. All cases attend the EA department OTH seeking health care and agreed to be included in this study. All cases attending the EA department in OTH and referred to a specialized hospital or canter should be excluded. Data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires, interviews with medical personnel and participants, review of primary registration and files of short stay in the E A department OTH at arrival time and checklist form of medical devices or gear.     

Results: In this study 700 patients were seen most cases were cold (mild, not urgent) (396pts) 56.6 %, the hot about 43.4% both are classified into groups or categories according to their degree of illness or injury as follows:  severely ill or injured (emergent)(120pts) 17.1%, moderately (urgent)(184 pts) 26.3% . The correctly categorized cases were (599) 85.6% and miss categorized cases were (101) 14.4%, although the sisters did not perform or elicit clinical examination and did not start the first aid or primary survey in addition to there is no medical equipment and surgical instruments.

Conclusion: Sorting of sick people into categories depending upon the degree of sickness or injury in EA department OTH was done only by sisters despite the unavailability of basic elements and equipment, the correctly categorized cases were (599) 85.6% and miss categorized cases were (101) 14.4%.

The cold cases better to be treated in the health centers to overcome the accumulation in the casualty for best medical services particularly for emergent and urgent cases.