PubMed · 9682292
School referral survey.
Abstract
Many schools refer children who have sustained an injury, directly to the local Accident & Emergency (A&E) department. This prospective study monitored these referrals for one school term (08.01.96-31.03.96). During this time 200 children under the age of 14 years presented from school to the A&E department of the Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital (RACH). The majority presented with trivial or mild injuries and 45% of parents felt that attending A&E was inappropriate. Half the accidents happened to unsupervised children. Rural children and children of working parents were less likely to attend A&E. In Grampian Region school referrals to A&E generate a significant workload for the A&E department with resultant cost implications. It would appear that a large number of these attendances are medically unnecessary and result from a desire by the school to avoid any complaint or litigation.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
D M Macgregor, J A Hiscox. 1998. School referral survey.. https://doi.org/10.1177/003693309804300305
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.