Abstract:
Almost one-third, 119(31.1 % (95% CI: 26.4%−36.0%)) patients stayed longer than 24 hours in the emergency department. Furthermore, the study identified factors that have statistically significant association with prolonged emergency length of stay to be: Age 60-69 (AOR 2.88;95% CI: 1.15,7.21) and age greater than 70 (AOR 3.44;95% CI: 1.25-9.49), being illiterate (AOR 2.833;95% CI: 1.19-6.77) and at secondary school level (AOR 2.38;95% CI: 1.02-5.54), shift change of nurses (AOR 85.95;95% CI: 11.16-662.11) and having at least one investigation (AOR 3.093;95% CI: 1.08-8.88).
Conclusion and recommendation
This study identified that a significant portion of patients experienced prolonged stay at the emergency department. Age, education, shift change of nurses and having at least one investigation were found to be associated to length of stay. Thus time-targeted service provision regarding emergency patients can reduce the length of stay......................... Thesis available at Addis Continental Institute of Public Health Library