Alcohol a big problem in ED
Emergency departments across the top of the south have experienced heavy demand over the summer months, while staff have been forced to deal with alcohol-related aggression and violence from patients.
Nelson Marlborough Health chief executive Peter Bramley said presentations to the emergency departments (ED) at Nelson and Wairau Hospitals peaked over the summer period, partly due to an increase in patients from out of town and more presentations of people with complex conditions.
But added to that, he said ‘‘too many presentations around the New Year period were alcohol related’’.
There was a ‘‘growing concern’’ that front line staff were subjected to aggressive and violent behaviour from both patients and families.
Between December and January, there were 804 presentations during the night shift (11pm to 7.30am) to the Nelson Hospital emergency department and 434 at the Wairau Hospital.
Abdominal pain, viral illness, gastroenteritis and chest pain were among the most common presentations during that period at both EDs.
Extra shifts for nursing staff were added to deal with the influx in presentations.
An overnight report from the ED in January detailed the sort of events staff were dealing with.
‘‘On Saturday night shift there were five very drunk presentations, verbal abuse, with two drunk men attempting to fight each other despite both having significant injuries. Security was required to be stationed in the department.’’
In another case, a junior nurse described an incident where five intoxicated patients were admitted after a motor vehicle accident.
They were loud, used offensive language and were aggressive and demanding when there were other sick patients in the department as well.
One patient was ripping off her monitoring equipment and throwing it on the ground, which upset other patients in the department because of the resources that were required from staff to deal with them.
‘‘The staff do an amazing job providing great care but in the midst of having to put up with terrible behaviour,’’ Bramley said
While individuals needed to make sure they drank responsibly, but family and friends needed to support that too, he said.
‘‘Unfortunately we are just far too accepting as a community of behaviours that are harmful.’’
Nelson Hospital Emergency Department charge nurse manager Sharon Scott said more people arrived at ED intoxicated by alcohol as opposed to drugs, but when people did present while under the influence of methamphetamine, their behaviour was more challenging to manage.
Because of that, Friday and Saturday nights in the emergency department were ‘‘not very pleasant’’.
The police had run education sessions for hospital staff on how to deal with those intoxicated by methamphetamine and alcohol.
For the first time last year, patient support and security staff were stationed in the emergency department to address any issues around aggression and to support other patients.
A note was also added to the file of aggressive patients so staff were aware of potential issues the next time they presented.
If a patient was particularly aggressive, a letter would be sent to them.
Scott said anyone who presented to ED as a result of intoxication would be referred to the alcohol and drug service.