Journal article
Effect of a 24/7 nursing presence in a police watch house on police presentations to the emergency department
Julia Crilly, Cathy Lincoln, Paul Scuffham, Josh Byrnes, Jo Timms, Ken Becker, Nelle van Buuren, Andrew Fisher, Danny Murphy, Ping Zhang, Stuart Kinner, David Green
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH REVIEW | CSIRO PUBLISHING | Published : 2020
DOI: 10.1071/AH19294
Abstract
Objective People detained in police custody are a vulnerable population with complex health needs, sometimes requiring emergency care. This study evaluated the effect of a 24/7 nursing presence in a police watch house on police presentations to the emergency department (ED). Methods This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a regional ED in Queensland. Equal time periods of 66 days before (T1), during (T2) and after (T3) the pilot service was trialled in 2013 were compared to determine changes in patient and service delivery outcomes. The time to see a doctor in the ED, ED length of stay, hospital admission rate, number of transfers from the watch house to the ED and associat..
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