TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2009//
TI  - Are emergency department staffs' perceptions about the inappropriate use of ambulances, alcohol intoxication, verbal abuse and violence accurate?
JO  - Emergency medicine journal
A1  - Vardy, J.
A1  - Mansbridge, C.
A1  - Ireland, A.
SP  - 164
EP  - 168
VL  - 26
IS  - 3
N2  - OBJECTIVES: To examine three opinions voiced by nightshift emergency department (ED) staff. First, that a significant proportion of adult patients arriving by emergency ambulance lack a clear indication for emergency transport. Second, that at night a high proportion of ambulance arrivals are drunk, abusive or leave without treatment. Third, that at night a high proportion of ambulance arrivals have been assaulted or have deliberately harmed themselves. METHODS: A retrospective audit of all 5421 new patient attendances to Glasgow Royal Infirmary ED in February 2007, including 1743 arriving by ambulance. RESULTS: 19.5% of ambulance arrivals lacked a clear indication for emergency transport. Between midnight and 05:00 hours: 52.5% of ambulance arrivals were intoxicated; 6.2% were abusive to staff; 14.0% left before treatment was completed; 21.4% had been assaulted and 7.4% had deliberately harmed themselves. CONCLUSION: The majority of ambulances were called appropriately; however, there remains a significant proportion who could travel by other means. A high proportion of ambulance arrivals between midnight and 05:00 hours were intoxicated, abusive or victims of assault. This supported staff's perception that such patients form a substantial proportion of departmental workload at night.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1472-0205
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emj.2007.056259
ID  - ref1
ER  -