CHALLENGES AND ADVANCEMENTS IN EMERGENCY ROOM MANAGEMENT IN JORDAN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF CURRENT EVIDENCE

Emergency departments in Jordan play an essential role in providing life-saving care to critically ill and injured patients. However, these healthcare units face persistent challenges that hinder their efficiency and effectiveness. Overcrowding, workforce shortages, financial constraints, and alarm fatigue significantly impact the quality of emergency care. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges by reducing overall emergency admissions while increasing ICU occupancy, leading to delays in critical interventions. Patient misunderstanding of triage protocols adds another layer of complexity, resulting in unrealistic expectations regarding care prioritization. Despite these obstacles, advancements in emergency medical technology, such as handheld ultrasound (HHU) and predictive trauma assessment models like the BIG Score, have significantly improved patient outcomes and diagnostic accuracy. Additionally, refined triage systems, including the Visual Triage System, have enhanced patient classification and resource allocation during public health crises. This review synthesizes recent research examining these key challenges and emerging solutions within Jordan’s emergency healthcare system, emphasizing the need for improved hospital funding, staff training, and public awareness initiatives to strengthen emergency care delivery.