Emergency Department Nurses’ Perceptions of Patient Substance Use, Impact on Sexual Assault Care, and Access to Follow-up Behavioral Health Resources
Main Article Content
Keywords
Emergency department, Sexual assault, Substance use, Behavioral health care, Digital health, Mobile health
Abstract
Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) after sexual assault may have unique needs related to substance use. Despite this, emergency nurses may not be adequately prepared to address these needs or aware of available behavioral health resources for follow-up care. This study aimed to (1) review current resources and referral processes for behavioral health services after sexual assault care, (2) investigate emergency nurses' attitudes and actions concerning patient substance use, and (3) explore nurses' views on mobile health interventions for post-assault behavioral healthcare and identify potential barriers to their implementation.
Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with fifteen emergency nurses.
Results: Participants had varying perceptions of managing intoxicated patients during sexual assault care, preferring discussions about substance use after the ED visit. They acknowledged the opportunity to link ED patients with substance use support but noted limited local service options. Most nurses did not refer patients with substance use issues to behavioral health services post-assault, citing a lack of referral processes in their EDs. While nurses expressed interest in mobile health for follow-up care, concerns about patient privacy and internet access were raised. Recommendations were provided to enhance referral practices and patient engagement with mobile health tools.
Discussion: This research underscores the importance of emergency nurses considering patient intoxication during sexual assault care and the potential to facilitate patient access to post-assault resources
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