Nurse-Administered Screening Tools for Detecting Elder Abuse in Emergency Departments: A Scoping Review.

AIM

Identify and describe nurse-administered screening tools used in emergency departments (ED) to detect elder abuse.

DESIGN

A scoping review of literature published between 1999 and 2024 was conducted following the guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and a methodological framework for scoping studies.

METHODS

Two reviewers, an academic faculty member and a senior undergraduate, conducted the screening and data extraction, aiming to identify studies using a nurse-administered screening tool in the ED to detect elder abuse.

DATA SOURCES

The final search was conducted on 24 April 2024, using the CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Review databases.

RESULTS

Ten studies out of 145 met the inclusion criteria, identifying six screening tools that assist healthcare providers, such as nurses, in detecting elder abuse in EDs. The results were summarised and presented according to each screening tool.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION

Nurses in EDs are well-positioned to identify elder abuse due to the significant time spent observing and interacting with patients. The implementation of a screening tool can support nurses in detecting elder abuse and initiating appropriate interventions.

IMPACT

Elder abuse is a widespread public health issue projected to increase continuously with the rapidly ageing population. Incorporating nurse-administered screening tool into EDs has demonstrated practicality and usefulness in identifying elder abuse cases. Various tools exist; however, these instruments are underutilised due to limited reliability and feasibility testing, with no definitive screening tool identified as the "gold standard" for elder abuse detection. Without formal screening, elder abuse is likely to remain undetected, leaving victims vulnerable to harmful consequences. Due to the limited testing and evaluation of a reliable ED screening tool for elder abuse, future research should focus on developing and validating a new screening tool intended specifically for use by nurses in EDs.

REPORTING METHOD

The EQUATOR guidelines for PRISMA were met.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contributions.