Abstract
AIM: To examine the concept of nurse triage in primary care and establish an operational definition for its application in practice, research, and policy. METHODS: Rodgers’ evolutionary method and thematic analysis was used to identify attributes, antecedents, consequences, definitions, and surrogate/related terms. A systematic search was conducted across three electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL and EMBASE in January 2025. A total of 2,997 articles were retrieved, with 1,283 duplicates removed. After title, abstract, and full-text screening, 11 articles were included in final analysis. Three articles were identified through citation tracking and hand searches. RESULTS: Five attributes of nurse triage in primary care were identified: patient assessment; use of decision support systems, algorithms, or protocols; decision making; patient categorization; and communication skills. Seven antecedents were identified: rising demand in primary care; accessibility challenges in primary care; government policy considerations and investment plans; infrastructure and system support; initial patient contact; training and Education; and a collaborative and supportive attitude. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to define and clarify nurse triage in primary care, addressing existing conceptual ambiguities. This analysis enhances the understanding of nurse triage in primary care, helping triage nurses gain clarity on their roles and engage more actively in practice. It can serve as a common reference for research, clinical practice, and policy development. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-025-03804-4.