Perspectives of emergency department staff on the triage of mental health-related presentations: Implications for education, policy and practice

Abstract

Objective: To explore ED staff perceptions of the factors that influence accuracy of triage for people with mental health problems. Methods: This qualitative learning needs analysis used a descriptive exploratory design. Participants were Australian emergency nurses and doctors. We used a criterion-based sampling approach. Recruitment was facilitated by the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia and the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed. Telephone interviews were conducted, audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to identify factors perceived to affect triage outcomes and to explore strategies to opti..