alcohol screening tool

Unsolicited Letters With

News, Notes, and Comments From Our

Readers Always Welcomed

L E T T E R S

All letters must be typed double-spaced and should be sent
on disk to Annie Kelly, 77 Rolling Ridge Rd, Amherst, MA 01002or via E-mail to: [email protected]
Alcohol Screening Tool

Rapid Sequence Intubation Kit

Challenge to CEN Radioactive ContaminationReview Question

Clarification of Radioactive ContaminationReview Question

Testimonial to Emergency Nurses Appreciated

Once Upon a Time: ED Staffing Should ReflectComplex, Comprehensive Care and Not Just the Census

J Emerg Nurs 2004;30:398-401.

0099-1767/$30.00

Copyright n 2004 by the Emergency Nurses Association.

398

Alcohol screening tool

Dear Editor:

I very much appreciated Tomi St. Mars’ article

bRoutine Screening for all ED patients: Ask the questionsQ1

on the use of a tool for screening of potential problems with

alcohol among emergency patients. I encourage the use of

the tool but also encourge having a referral system in place

for any patient who tests positive on the CAGE or on any

alcohol screening tool.

Copies of the tool developed by the National

Highway Transportation and Safety Administration and

American College of Emergency Physicians were sent to

all emergency departments in 2003, but additional copies

can be obtained from Laurie Flaherty, RN, at the

National Highway Transportation and Safety Adminis-

tration (lf [email protected]) or the American College

of Emergency Physicians (acep.org). Think about con-

ducting a research study using the tool. Emergency nurses

could keep track of the number of times the tool is used

and the number of positive results found when using the

tool, for example. Routine screening of all patients for

alcohol problems is yet one more important way that we

can practice injury prevention.—Anne May, RN, BSN,

CEN, Gaithersburg, Md

REFERENCE

1. St. Mars T. Routine screening for all ED patients: ask thequestions. J Emerg Nurs 2004;30:257-8.

doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2004.07.006

JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY NURSING 30:5 October 2004

alcohol screening tool

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