Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments; communication difficulties; and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. The nurse (RN) in the emergency department (ED) is vital to the appropriate receiving, treatment, and management of the adult patient with autism.
The ED receives patients presenting with a wide variety of injuries and maladies. This can make for a confusing and overstimulating environment for patients with autism. RNs must understand this and other uniquely challenging issues when caring for individuals with autism.
Though autism is an active area of research, with copious resources available; there remains a dearth of studies related to nurses’ knowledge in the ED setting. Nursing requires numerous levels of immediate information and this survey of knowledge and beliefs helped identify the ED nurse’s educational needs and how best to provide accurate and applicable information.
This survey found that just over half of ED nurses surveyed had accurate knowledge of autism, correctly identified its causes and comorbidities, and chose appropriate interventions.
This survey confirmed the limited knowledge and resources available for ED RNs. Further research on nursing care of adults with ASD is clearly warranted.
autism; neurodevelopmental; social impairments; communication difficulties