Trauma Guideline Manual - SUNY Upstate Medical University

Trauma Guideline Manual______________SUNY Upstate Trauma Center135PRACTICE GUIDELINES: SUBSTANCE ABUSE TRAUMA REFERRALOBJECTIVES:1. Define substance abuse as a major risk factor for many types of injury.2. Define methods of discussing the problem with the admitted patient and making appropriatetreatment referrals may prevent future substance abuse related injury.GUIDELINES:1. Attendings, residents, or nurse will initiate a social service/substance abuse referral on thebasis of this standing protocol, which will be considered a physician order.2. If the patient has an admission blood alcohol > .8mg/dl or any non-prescription drugs (i.e.cocaine, marijuana, Benzodiazepines on the tox screen or if the patients answers two ormore of the CAGE questions affirmatively , then a chemical dependency or social serviceconsult will be obtained.3. If any patient younger than 21 any evidence of alcohol in his/her system at the time ofadmission then a social service consult will be obtained.4. Social work staff will document any referrals in the Progress Notes section on the patient’smedical record.5. Social work staff will maintain a current list of area referral sources for alcohol-relatedservices.6. Social work staff will periodically conduct in-service education for appropriate hospital staffon alcohol abuse diagnosis and referral.