Investigating the professional capability of triage nurses in the emergency department and its determinants: a multicenter cross-sectional study in Iran

BACKGROUND: Planning to improve the professional capabilities of triage nurses requires determining the level of professional capabilities and its determinants. In this regard, the present study was conducted to determine the professional capability of triage nurses and its determinants for the first time in Iran. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 2022. The research population included all nurses working in triage units of emergency departments of seven selected hospitals in Fars Province, south of Iran. The samples were selected using convenience sampling. The data collection tools were the “Triage nurses’ professional capability questionnaire in the emergency department” and a questionnaire to investigate determinants of triage nurses’ professional capability. Descriptive and analytical (Pearson’s correlation test and multiple linear regression analysis) were used for data analysis in the SPSS software version 27. P values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Out of 580 participants, 342 (59%) were female. The professional capability of triage nurses was at a moderate level with a mean score of 124.11 ± 14.72. The mean score of clinical competence, psychological empowerment, and professional commitment was 71.56 ± 9.67, 19.86 ± 3.95, and 32.69 ± 3.54, respectively. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that 5 factors, including participation in educational courses (p < 0.001), having clinical experience and specialized knowledge in emergency department (p < 0.001), error registry and assessment system (p < 0.001), managers’ support (p < 0.001), and recruiting experienced staff (p = 0.018) affected the nurses’ professional capability. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the triage nurses had moderate levels of professional capability. It is necessary that nursing managers develop effective plans to improve the professional capability of triage nurses in emergency departments to enhance the quality and effectiveness of emergency services. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12873-023-00809-7.