Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe work experiences of triage nurses working at emergency departments in Korea. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research method was used. Twenty-one nurses of emergency department participated in the first interview and 16 of them participated in the...

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe work experiences of triage nurses working at emergency departments in Korea. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research method was used. Twenty-one nurses of emergency department participated in the first interview and 16 of them participated in the second interview. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and field notes. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Results: Forty-eight codes, 12 categories, and six themes emerged from the data analysis: caring on the frontline, burden as an initial evaluator, handling things alone, lack of others' understanding, becoming an expert, and needs for improvement. Participating triage nurses faced many challenges and difficult situations in emergency departments. They felt burden and loneliness as initial evaluator. Also, they felt pride in their work and struggled to become a professional. Conclusion: This study is the first qualitative study that has focused on exploring the experiences of triage nurses in emergency departments in Korea. The results provide description and in-depth understanding of working experiences of triage nurses. The results provide valuable fundamental data for regulation, clinical practice, education, and research for triage nurses in Korean emergency departments.

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