Drink a little; take a few drugs: do nurses have knowledge to identify and manage in-patients at risk of drugs and alcohol?
OBJECTIVE
The widespread use of alcohol and other drugs poses particular problems during hospitalisation. Although nurses have been identified as an appropriate group to screen patients and provide acute and ongoing management to people with drug and alcohol-related problems, rates of screening are low. The aims of this study were to identify current practices for screening by nurses working in medical and surgical wards, determine their knowledge relating to problems associated with substance use and identify their self-reported skills in managing patients with drug- and alcohol-related problems.


METHODS
A chart audit of medical records was completed and a survey was distributed to nurses working in the study wards.


RESULTS
Screening for alcohol and drug use was documented on only 22/79 medical records, and detailed information about quantity and duration of use was recorded in only nine. Overall, the nurses reported that they had little knowledge about substance use problems, and felt that they lacked skills to care adequately for these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest a need for a comprehensive training and education to ensure that nurses are familiar with policies and protocols for management of patients and to assist nurses to provide evidence-based care and make appropriate referrals to specialist services.
Griffiths
R D
RD
University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Rhonda.Griffiths@swsahs.nsw.gov.au
Stone
A
A
Tran
D T
DT
Fernandez
R S
RS
Ford
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing; D003625:Data Collection; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008485:Medical Audit; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing