Objective: This study was aimed to evaluate diseases of nursing home residents requiring emergency intervention.

Material and methods: A total of 185 nursing home residents residing in Hatay nursing home, between November 2010 and January 2012, were included in the study. Nurse observation records and relevant medical files were investigated.

Results: Of the residents 114 (61.6%) were male, 71 (38.4%) were female with a mean age of 78.67 ± 8.38 years. The patients’ ages were compared in terms of admission to emergency clinic, there was a statistically significant difference; the patients who admitted to the hospital were older than the others (p=0.018). Eighty nine (48.1%) of them were suffering from a chronic illness. Hypertension was the most commonly diagnosed chronic disease (n=27, 14.5%). The most common illness reports were those of diseases related to internal medicine (n=37,41.5%) and acetyl salicylic acid was the most commonly used drug as in 17 patients (9.1%). Sixty seven (36.2%) patients were treated in Emergency Departments; the most common cause was impaired general condition (n=19, 28.3%), the most common diagnosis was hypertension (n=10, 15.3%). Internalized patients were frequently admitted and followed in internal medicine (n=15, 20.0%) department; twenty-seven (36.0%) of them were discharged; ten out of them (13.3%) died.

Conclusion: It was determined that the most common complaints were general poor health, fall and dyspnea and the most common diagnosis were hypertension, heart disease and orthopedic emergencies in nursing home residents.