PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF PEDIATRICS EMERGENCY TRIAGE AMONG HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WORKING AT TERTIARY HOSPITALS IN WEST OROMIA, ETHIOPIA, 2025

Abstract Background The mortality rate in pediatric emergency rooms within developing countries remains alarmingly high, primarily due to preventable and treatable conditions. effective pediatric emergency triage is critical for identifying and prioritizing children with serious health issues. However, there is currently limited evidence regarding the practices and factors influencing pediatric emergency triage among healthcare providers, specifically in Western Oromia, Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 30 to March 30, 2025 on a total of 422 health care providers selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using pretested and interviewed based questionnaires. The data were cleaned, entered into Epi-data 4.7.0.0 and exported to SPSS-27 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were done to identify factors associated with triage practice. Variables with a p-value of ≤ 0.05 at 95% CI were considered statistically significant variables. Results From a total of 422 respondents, 414 (98.10 %) of them gave complete responses. Majority of respondents (60.1%) had a good triage practice. Variables like training on guideline [AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: (1.07 - 2.84)], good knowledge [AOR = 3.40, 95% CI: (2.07 - 5.57)], triage experience [AOR = 2.76; 95% CI:(1.66 - 4.58)], presence of essential drugs and equipment [AOR = 2.16; 95% CI: (1.30 - 3.59)], and good attitudes [AOR = 3.26; 95% CI: (1.96 - 5.42)], were significantly associated with triage practice of healthcare providers. Conclusion and Recommendation About three fifth of respondents had a good triage practice. Key factors associated with triage practice included good knowledge, presence of essential drugs and laboratory support, triage experience, training on guidelines, and attitude of healthcare providers were factors associated with triage practice. Therefore, stakeholders including hospital managers should implement targeted strategies like training on increasing knowledge and enhancing positive attitude among healthcare providers to prevent the occurrence of poor triage practice.