Emergency Nurses promote National Alcohol Screening Day

[Emergency Nurse]

Emergency Nurses Association Promotes national alcohol screening day

ED nurses to conduct alcohol screening with patients

CHICAGO - Apr. 7, 2005 - Almost three out of 10 American adults engage in risky drinking, ranging from sporadic to daily heavy drinking. And each day, more than 20,000 patients (7.6 million per year) are admitted to emergency departments across the United States for alcohol-related injuries. Nurses in emergency departments and trauma centers have witnessed first-hand the tragic results of these injuries, many which have long-term consequences not only for victims, but their families, friends, and society.

In a nationwide effort to reduce alcohol-related injuries and fatalities, the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE announced that it has awarded education grants to five hospitals that today, on National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), are hosting free and anonymous alcohol screenings and brief interventions for patients. The hospitals receiving the award include:

Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ

St. Anthony Central Hospital, Denver, CO

University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, Lexington, KY

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC

The ENA education awards are supported by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement alcohol and brief intervention programs in emergency departments. ENA is increasing the contribution of emergency nurses to support the national goal of reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities to no more than 11,000 by the end of 2005.

"Research shows that hospitals can help reduce alcohol-related fatalities and injuries by addressing at-risk drinking among emergency department patients. In fact, many dependent drinkers will seek treatment if recommended by health care professionals, including emergency nurses," said Patricia Kunz Howard, RN, PhD, 2005 ENA president. "The purpose of alcohol screening and brief intervention is to identify individuals who might benefit from a more in-depth assessment of their drinking habits. The ENA is pleased to offer key hospitals the funding they need to make a direct impact in the lives of patients with at-risk alcohol behaviors."

The ENA is a proud NASD program sponsor. NASD is funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on National Alcohol Screening Day, visit . An ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE alcohol awareness fact sheet, a brochure on the prevention of drinking and driving among adolescents, and a position statement on alcohol screening and brief intervention in the emergency department are available at .

Media Note: Journalists interested in speaking with Patricia Howard, RN, PhD, 2005 ENA President, should contact Tarsis Lopez at [phone]; cell: [phone]; [email protected]

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About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is the only professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing and emergency care through advocacy, expertise, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA serves as the voice of more than 27,000 members and their patients through research, publications, professional development, injury prevention, and patient education. Additional information is available at ENA's Web site, at .