Forensic Chemical Profiling of Unknown Substances in Emergency Nursing Care

Abstract

Patients who have been exposed to unknown chemical substances that may include pharmaceutical and illicit drugs as well as industrial, household and emerging synthetic compounds are increasingly challenging emergency departments. The clinical uncertainties of such cases are very dangerous to the patients and the nursing staff, and the gap between chemical analysis in the laboratory and real-time emergency care makes this very complicated to decide. Forensic chemical profiling provides a methodical means of describing unknown chemicals in terms of composition, origin and toxicological action, between clinical and forensic goals. The review describes the available methods of analysis (including laboratory methods, GC-MS, LC-MS, FTIR, ICP-MS), rapid screening tests, and portable point-of-care devices and explains their pros and cons, as well as their clinical practice application. It emphasizes severe significance of emergency nurses in early detection, collection of samples, reporting, and interdisciplinary communication, and clinical decision-making, security, ethical and legal concerns, founded on chemical profiling. Issues in implementation, including time and resource constraints and new substances, are addressed, and AI-assisted profiling as well as the portable multi-analyte sensors and special training in forensic nursing are addressed as future directions. The incorporation of forensic chemical profiling into the emergency nursing practice will positively influence patient care, allow prompt clinical response, guarantee the integrity of legal system, and arm healthcare system to react to the changing chemical threats.

Keywords: Emergency Nursing, Forensic Chemical Profiling, Unknown Substance, Rapid Detection, Point of care analysis, Clinical decision making, Toxicology, safety and legal responsibility.