Nonemergent Patients in the Emergency Department: An Ethnographic Study.
BACKGROUND
Triage in the interactive atmosphere of the emergency department (ED) has been described as complex and challenging. Nonemergent ED visits have been accompanied by ethical and legal conflicts.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of ED nurses' practice regarding triage of nonemergent patients.


METHODS
Focused micro-ethnography based on Spradley's developmental research sequence (DRS) was used. This study was conducted in an emergency department. Data was collected through complete participant observations along with formal and informal interviews, and then analyzed using DRS.


RESULTS
Nine key informants were interviewed formally. Four main categories emerged from the nurses' culture: nonemergent patient as an uninvited guest, nonemergent patient as an elephant in a dark room, nonemergent patient as an aggressive client, and being nonemergency unless at risk of death.


CONCLUSIONS
Providing care in the emergency department is significantly affected by nonemergent patients, as the emergency department is a place for critically ill patients thus awareness training program is recommended.
Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Amir
A
Mirhaghi
Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Abbas
A
Heydari
Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Mohsen
M
Ebrahimi
Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, IR Iran.
Mohsen
M
Noghani Dokht Bahmani
Emergency; Ethnography; Nonemergent Patient; Triage