Exploring the concept and structure of obstetric triage: a qualitative content analysis

BACKGROUND: Obstetric triage is a new idea, so the design and implementation of it requires identification of its concept and structure. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the concept and structure of the obstetric triage in Iran. METHODS: The purposive sampling was done and it continued until reaching the theoretical saturation. Thirty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted individually and face-to-face. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Two themes, 8 main categories, and 16 subcategories emerged from the content analysis of the interviews and observations. The themes were the concept and structure of obstetric triage. The concept of obstetric triage consisted of three categories of nature, process, and philosophy of obstetric triage. The structure of obstetric triage included five categories of assessment criteria, emergency grading, determining the appropriate location for patient guidance, initiation of diagnostic and therapeutic measures, and timeframe for initial assessment and reassessment. CONCLUSION: Findings highlighted that obstetric triage is a process with a dual and dynamic nature. This process involves clinical decision making to prioritize the pregnant mother and her fetus based on the severity and acuity of the disease in order to allocate medical resources and care for providing appropriate treatment at the right time and place to the right patient. The results of this study could be used for the design and implementation of the obstetric triage system.