Publication:

Is obstetric triage necessary?

Background The aim was to determine the number and type of patients admitted in the labour and delivery unit and whether a formal triage would improve efficiency.

Methods All patients entering the unit were analyzed for a period of two months: July and August 2013.

Results The 990 patients during the study period were from three areas, the OPD, the ward and emergency visits to the labour unit. The reason for the visit and the number of cases seen was analyzed. This was correlated with the number of deliveries. Most patients were generally seen within 5 to 10 minutes, however in a few cases there was a delay of up to half an hour when the nurses were held up by a delivery or another emergency.

Conclusions Obstetric triage would improve efficiency of care and reduce waiting time. The suggestions for improvement were also discussed. There should be clear guidelines and protocols for the initial assessment and action for each level of severity.