Authors (including presenting author) :
Hui TM(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Accident & Emergency Department, North Lantau Hospital
Introduction :
The population of Tung Chung is growing and aging. It is anticipated that an increasing number of geriatric patients will be admitted to the Emergency Medicine Ward (EMW). EMW of North Lantau Hospital is currently the only local acute ward providing inpatient service. It would be increasingly challenged with complexities of providing care to geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, and functional and cognitive impairments who often presents with subtle clinical signs and symptoms of acute illness. It has been demonstrated that outcome of elderly individuals can be improved when they are cared by nurses with specialized training in geriatrics. However, few registered nurses have this specialized training.
Objectives :
This study was designed to conduct a needs assessment of an emergency department concerning registered nurses’ knowledge and self-assessment of geriatric emergency care.
Methodology :
A quantitative, descriptive study utilizing a survey tool was conducted in EMW during a 2-week period in July 2021. The questionnaire consisted of 16 self-evaluated practice assessment questions utilizing a Likert scale.
Result & Outcome :
Twenty-seven EMW nurses participated in the study. Almost 50% of the participants rate themselves “Poor” in the categories of diagnosing depression, recognizing atypical presentation of illnesses, and assessing polypharmacy. There are 4-7% of the participants rated “Not applicable” in the categories of diagnosing delirium, diagnosing dementia, assessing polypharmacy, and providing appropriate referrals for treatment and services. However, these categories are important in providing care to geriatric patients.
In conclusion, the number of geriatric patients treated in the EMW is expected to increase dramatically. These patients often have poor outcomes, thus increasing their dependence and mortality to levels much higher than other age groups. EMW nurses need to improve their practice to have a positive impact on geriatric patients’ outcomes. However, staffing the emergency department with geriatric specialists is not likely to occur. Thus, all nurses need to be knowledgeable about geriatric assessment and care. A Geriatric Emergency Care Training Program is a need to provide to EMW nurses to enhance geriatric patient care and outcomes.
