The feasibility and utility of the aid to cardiac triage intervention to improve nurses' cardiac triage decisions.

BACKGROUND

Despite the benefits of prompt treatment of myocardial infarction, gender disparities exist in emergency department (ED) nurses' cardiac triage decisions.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the feasibility and utility of the aid to cardiac triage (ACT) intervention designed to improve ED nurses' cardiac triage decisions for women with myocardial infarction.

METHODS

A prospective, exploratory design was used. To determine feasibility, we evaluated the 1-hour time allocated for the intervention and ED nurses' participation rates. Twenty-three participants completed a utility questionnaire at the completion of the 1-hour intervention, and 18 participants completed the questionnaire 3 months post-intervention.

RESULTS

The ACT intervention was delivered within 30 to 40 minutes, allowing 20 minutes for questions and discussion. ED nurses viewed the ACT intervention as a useful, helpful, and practical tool for improving their cardiac triage decisions at both intervention completion and 3 months later.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation supports the feasibility and utility of the ACT intervention.