Drug Use Incidence Recorded in a Midwestern Emergency Department

Abstract

Orem's conceptual framework of nursing was utilized as a basis for this study of drug use incidents. The purpose of this study was to describe drug use incidents in a midwestern hospital (MWH) emergency department and to compare some of that data with DAWN and MINIDAWN data from 1992. A retrospective review of 151 patient admissions to MWH emergency department with the diagnosis of drug abuse, drug overdose, or drug dependency during 1992 was conducted. Incidents involving alcohol alone were not included. Analyses of data showed more female than male clients were involved in drug overdose; the mean age of males was 6-18 years while the mean age of females invlolved in drug use incidents was older at 30-54 years of age. Most drug incidents presented to the emergency department between 1600-1959 hours and involved alcohol in combination with other drugs. There were significantly more incidents of marijuana and amphetamine use at MWH than were reported to DAWN and significantly fewer incidents of cocaine and heroin. There were significantly more incidents of marijuana and acetaminophen use at MVW than were reported to MINI-DAWN. This study provides a profile of the drug use client at MWH which may be useful to nurses to anticipate and care for the client, implementing the nursing system described by Orem as best meeting the needs of the client.