title: Nurse-led Early Triage (NET) study of chest pain patients: a long term evaluation study of a service development aimed at improving the management of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients presenting with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) are at risk of early death. This may be reduced by timely assessment and treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate if Nurse-led Early Triage (NET) in the coronary care unit (CCU) can improve time to assessment and management of NSTE-ACS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 79 consecutive chest pain patients admitted pre-NET to the acute admissions unit (AAU) and on 103 patients admitted in the first six months of the NET service in CCU, was re-examined and compared to subsequent data obtained on 92 patients admitted via NET five years later, in order to re-evaluate the service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NET resulted in significant improvements in: the number of patients with chest pain who had their 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed within 10 min of admission (94% vs 32%, p<0.001); the number of high-risk NSTE-ACS patients prescribed clopidogrel (72% vs 42%, p<0.01); and the number being managed in CCU (82% vs 34%, p<0.01). Comparison of the NET service at five years with the pre-NET service demonstrated measurable benefits were sustained (p<0.01) for the same comparative end points. There were no significant differences in these end-points of time to ECG, clopidogrel prescription nor management in CCU for high-risk patients between the NET groups at six months and five years, demonstrating that current triage is as effective as when first introduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the positive impact of nurse-led early triage for NSTE-ACS patients and that initial benefits have been sustained.
authors: 1Department of Cardiology, NHS Tayside, UK.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: O'Neill
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Smith
authors: Pf
authors: P
authors: Currie
authors: Dhj
authors: D
authors: Elder
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Wei
authors: Cc
authors: C
authors: Lang
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064646:Cardiovascular Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration; D004562:Electrocardiography; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D012307:Risk Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000451:nursing; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Acute coronary syndromes; evaluation; nurse-led; quality; triage