Bridging the Gap: Drug and Alcohol Screening in Adolescent Trauma Patients

Contribution to Emergency Nursing Practice:
- Alcohol and substance use is a significant factor in adolescent trauma. By identifying patients at-risk for substance-use disorders, providers can provide early interventions to support this vulnerable population.
- The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) requires Level I and II trauma centers to screen high-risk users to maintain center accreditation. Several screening tools have been investigated, including both biochemical testing and questionnaires, but it remains unclear which modality most effectively identifies at-risk adolescent trauma patients.
- Providers in emergency departments and trauma centers are well positioned to screen for high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and substance use, as studies on screening and early interventions in the adolescent trauma population have demonstrated reduction in recurrent injury and readmission rates.
- Although no screen identifies all at-risk adolescents, evidence supports implementation of an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate universal screening protocol consisting of biochemical screening in conjunction with self-report.