Background:
There are many barriers to obtaining an accurate BP measurement in children presenting to the ED (EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT). The child`s anxiety, pain and lack of cooperation are only some of them.
This may lead to a falsely elevated BP reading, which in turn could lead to unnecessary consultations, investigations or even treatments. Repeated measurements would also contribute to the prolongation of triage time.
The aim of this study is to consider the participation of a medical clown during triage and its ability to shorten the BP measurement procedure and decrease the number of attempts required to achieve a correct measurement.
Methods:
133 children presenting to the pediatric ED were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups. The study group underwent the routine triage procedure with the participation of a medical clown.
The number of BP measurements, the time to achieve an acceptable BP value and the total triage duration were documented for all participants.
Results
The average time required to obtain an acceptable BP measurement and the total number of measurement attempts were lower among children who underwent triage with the participation of a medical clown
There was a meaningful difference between Jewish and Muslim participants in those parameters.
Conclusion:
The participation of a medical clown in the triage shortens the BP measurement procedure with no prolongation of the entire triage time.
