• Fiona Imlach Gunasekara, Shaun Butler, Taisia Cech, Elizabeth Curtis, Michael Douglas, Lynda Emmerson, Rachel Greenwood, Sara Huse, Julia Jonggowisastro, Camilla Lees, Yang Li, Daniel McConnell, Andreea Mogos, Nur I M Azmy, Scotty Newman, and Kirstie O'Donnell.
• Department of Public Health, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, Wellington 6024, New Zealand. fiona.imlach-gunasekara@otago.ac.nz
• N. Z. Med. J. 2011 Jun 10; 124 (1336): 14-23.

AimTo investigate staff perceptions of the burden of alcohol-related presentations on emergency departments (ED) in New Zealand and the impact on staff of alcohol-related ED presentations.MethodsA survey of Wellington Regional Hospital ED staff was conducted using a written questionnaire to measure the impact of alcohol on: staff assault rates, perceived workload, quality of care, and staff mood. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six ED staff to further explore impacts of alcohol on ED, analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsForty-seven staff members responded to the questionnaire. Assault rates from alcohol-affected patients were high, particularly amongst nurses. These were mostly verbal assaults. Staff mood was negatively affected and perceptions of workload increased by alcohol-related presentations. Views on whether quality of care of intoxicated patients was affected were mixed although most reported a negative impact on other patients. Interviews confirmed the survey results, confirming the negative impacts of alcohol-related presentations on staff and on the treatment of both intoxicated and non-intoxicated patients.ConclusionThis small exploratory study found that alcohol-related presentations have a negative impact on ED staff workload and safety, and may compromise treatment of all patients. More research is needed to corroborate these findings and to investigate policies to reduce the impacts of alcohol-related presentations in the ED.

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