To ascertain the awareness among triage staff about clinical conditions treated in the Department of Hand Surgery from their referral pattern : A cross sectional observational study in a tertiary care center.

ObjectivesO_LITo ascertain the referral pattern and the awareness about clinical conditions treated in the Department of Hand Surgery among the triage staff. C_LIO_LITo determine if is there a difference between the triaging by the doctors and by the junior (less than 5 years in service) and the senior nurses (more than 5 years in service) with reference to clinical conditions which are treated in the Hand surgery Department. C_LI Materials and methodsThis was a cross-sectional observational study which was conducted in a tertiary care center in India. The study involved a total of 115 participants with junior nurses, senior nurses and doctors working in the triage service of the hospital. All participants were shown a semi-structured tool with clinical scenarios which had photographs and clinical information in text, on a computer screen using Microsoft PowerPoint. The clinical scenario was also narrated to them. The referral pattern was noted down and tabulated. ResultsIt is interesting to note that, O_LIOnly in 1 out of the 20 scenarios, hand surgery was the most frequently referred department. C_LIO_LIMost of the Bony injuries of the hand and the forearm were mainly referred to orthopaedics. C_LIO_LIBurns and raw areas of the forearm were frequently referred to plastic surgery. C_LIO_LIHand deformities were commonly referred to either plastic surgery or orthopaedics. C_LIO_LINerve injuries were referred to neurology and orthopaedics typically. C_LIO_LIOrthopaedics was the most referred department. C_LIO_LIThe average reference percentage of the junior nurse was 3.91%, senior nurse was 21.9% and doctors was 23.95%. Junior nurses performed exceedingly poor in referring cases to the department of hand surgery as compared to the other two subgroups. C_LI ConclusionThis study shows us the drawbacks in our present triaging system emphasizing the need for training our staff on new departments referral pattern, the advancements, and updated protocols.