Older people in the Emergency Department

Many older people are at risk of poor outcomes during hospitalisation. Early assessment and identification of such patients, beginning in the Emergency Department, may allow targeted interventions to improve outcomes. The best models of care are not known. Several publications, including one RCT, address the effectiveness of standardised assessment and early aged care nurse intervention.

Publications

· Shanley C, Sutherland S, Tumeth R, Stott K, Whitmore E. Caring for the older person in the emergency department: the ASET program and the role of the ASET clinical nurse consultant in South Western Sydney, Australia. Journal of Emergency Nursing 2009; 35: 129-133.

· Shanley C, Sutherland S, Stott K, Tumeth R, Whitmore E. Increasing the profile of the care of the older person in the ED: a contemporary nursing challenge. International Emergency Nursing 2008; 16: 152-158.

· Basic D, Conforti DA. A prospective, randomised, controlled trial of an aged care nurse intervention within the emergency department. Australian Health Review 2005; 29: 51-59.

· Conforti DA, Basic D, Rowland JT. Emergency department admissions, older people, functional decline, and length of stay in hospital. Australasian Journal of Ageing 2004; 23: 189-194.

· Basic D, Conforti D, Rowland J. Standardised assessment of older patients by a nurse in an emergency department. Australian Health Review 2002; 25: 50-58.