CIWA protocol
Pronunciation: SIH-wah
Also written as: CIWA — Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment
Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, a standardized assessment tool used to monitor alcohol withdrawal severity.
Full Definition
The CIWA protocol is a validated clinical assessment instrument used in psychiatric and medical settings to evaluate the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It measures ten domains including nausea, tremor, anxiety, and hallucinations, with scores guiding medication decisions and safety protocols. The protocol is essential for safe alcohol detoxification and withdrawal management in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalized as CIWA; protocol is lowercase unless beginning a sentence.
In Context
- "The patient scored 15 on the CIWA protocol, indicating moderate withdrawal requiring medication intervention." — Medical record documentation
- "CIWA protocol assessments must be conducted every four hours during the first 24 hours of admission." — Clinical policy manual