Friday 10 June 2011
Intoxicated patients an increasing problem for Emergency Departments
Research by the University of Otago, Wellington shows that growing numbers of intoxicated people presenting at the
Emergency Department of Wellington Hospital verbally and physically abuse staff on a regular basis, and have a negative
impact on other patients.
The researchers say that similar results would probably be experienced in other EDs across the country. The study has
just been published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.
“We looked at how intoxicated patients affect staff and other patients and found that these people were having a
significant negative impact on the workload and safety of staff in the ED,” says Dr Fiona Imlach Gunasekara from the
Department of Public Health.
“These impacts ranged from verbal abuse to physical assault, with nurses and ambulance officers being particularly
affected. They’re very common events, which many of these frontline staff appear to endure stoically as part of the
job.”
The study surveyed 47 ED staff by questionnaire and face to face interviews It found that verbal and or physical assault
often happened weekly or monthly.
Nearly all staff members say that intoxicated patients increase ED workloads, increase overall waiting times, and
increase the triage scores of affected patients. In some cases intoxicated patients decreased quality of care and
created negative emotions in staff.
“It appears that the ED workload is increased by intoxicated and difficult presentations on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday nights. Staff say big rugby matches and concerts are also a problem,” says Dr Imlach Gunasekara.
“The other key factor is that intoxicated patients often have a negative impact on other patients and most staff. They
can have an intimidating effect which does nothing for the experience of injured sober people waiting in ED, and can
also delay their treatment.”
During face to face interviews quoted in the study, many ED staff were very critical of the current drinking culture in
New Zealand, and particularly how it affects young people.
Generally speaking they supported reforms to the alcohol laws put forward by the Law Commission to reduce social harm
from alcohol, such as pricing changes and raising the purchase age.
ends