Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Hospital admission in older persons presenting with dizziness in the Emergency department

Ekwall, Anna LU ; Schrab, Johanna ; Runesson, Karolina and Magnusson, Måns LU orcid (2018) In International Emergency Nursing 37. p.35-38
Abstract

One of the most frequent chief complaints among older persons presenting in the emergency department (ED) is dizziness. Nurses in the ambulance and in the ED play an important role in managing these patients. The challenge in the ED or ambulance is to, with limited diagnostic equipment; decide the correct level of care. The aim of this study was to identify factors that differed between those who were admitted to hospital and those who were not among older persons (65+) presenting in the ED with dizziness. The method was a retrospective journal audit. The sample consisted of persons (n. =166) aged 65+ presenting in the ED with dizziness. Factors that were more frequent among those admitted to hospital were arriving with ambulance,... (More)

One of the most frequent chief complaints among older persons presenting in the emergency department (ED) is dizziness. Nurses in the ambulance and in the ED play an important role in managing these patients. The challenge in the ED or ambulance is to, with limited diagnostic equipment; decide the correct level of care. The aim of this study was to identify factors that differed between those who were admitted to hospital and those who were not among older persons (65+) presenting in the ED with dizziness. The method was a retrospective journal audit. The sample consisted of persons (n. =166) aged 65+ presenting in the ED with dizziness. Factors that were more frequent among those admitted to hospital were arriving with ambulance, priority and number of medications and high age. Forty percent of the dizzy patients were admitted to the hospital, 50% among those arriving with ambulance and 24% of the walk-in patients. Among the 166 patients included in the study because of dizziness, 64 different discharge diagnoses emerged, illustrating the complex nature of dizziness as a symptom. The results from this study can help the ambulance or ED nurse doing the first assessment with limited information and initiating the management, knowing what factors that are more frequent in older persons being admitted when presenting with dizziness.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Ambulance, Dizziness, Emergency department, Hospital admission, Older person, Triage
in
International Emergency Nursing
volume
37
pages
35 - 38
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:27894784
  • scopus:85007407092
ISSN
1755-599X
DOI
10.1016/j.ienj.2016.10.007
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
664a9af8-a572-4dd6-a24f-24154b4ccdc1
date added to LUP
2017-04-19 10:18:13
date last changed
2024-04-14 08:54:35
@article{664a9af8-a572-4dd6-a24f-24154b4ccdc1,
  abstract     = {{<p>One of the most frequent chief complaints among older persons presenting in the emergency department (ED) is dizziness. Nurses in the ambulance and in the ED play an important role in managing these patients. The challenge in the ED or ambulance is to, with limited diagnostic equipment; decide the correct level of care. The aim of this study was to identify factors that differed between those who were admitted to hospital and those who were not among older persons (65+) presenting in the ED with dizziness. The method was a retrospective journal audit. The sample consisted of persons (n. =166) aged 65+ presenting in the ED with dizziness. Factors that were more frequent among those admitted to hospital were arriving with ambulance, priority and number of medications and high age. Forty percent of the dizzy patients were admitted to the hospital, 50% among those arriving with ambulance and 24% of the walk-in patients. Among the 166 patients included in the study because of dizziness, 64 different discharge diagnoses emerged, illustrating the complex nature of dizziness as a symptom. The results from this study can help the ambulance or ED nurse doing the first assessment with limited information and initiating the management, knowing what factors that are more frequent in older persons being admitted when presenting with dizziness.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ekwall, Anna and Schrab, Johanna and Runesson, Karolina and Magnusson, Måns}},
  issn         = {{1755-599X}},
  keywords     = {{Ambulance; Dizziness; Emergency department; Hospital admission; Older person; Triage}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{35--38}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Emergency Nursing}},
  title        = {{Hospital admission in older persons presenting with dizziness in the Emergency department}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2016.10.007}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ienj.2016.10.007}},
  volume       = {{37}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}