A psychiatric emergency is a situation that if left untreated is likely to cause harm to oneself or others
Psychiatric Emergencies
A psychiatric emergency is a situation that if left untreated is likely to cause harm to oneself or others. These acute disturbances of behavior may manifest as suicidal ideation or attempts, violence, agitation, drug overdose, delirium, psychosis, mania, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, or serotonin syndrome. When psychiatric emergencies arise, they can present many challenges to the PMHNP. While many approaches to emergencies are similar when dealing with children and adolescents versus adults, significant differences also exist. This is particularly true with coordination of care, availability of resources, and legal implications of the psychiatric emergency.
This week, you examine psychiatric emergencies and explain the ethical and legal issues surrounding these events. You will also review evidence-based suicide and violence risk assessments that you may use to screen patients.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Explain salient ethical and legal issues relevant to psychiatric emergencies in psychiatric-mental health practice
- Select evidence-based risk assessments for psychiatric emergencies
To Prepare
- Review this week’s Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide about psychiatric emergencies and the ethical and legal issues surrounding these events.
Required Readings
Buppert, C. (2021). Nurse practitioner’s business practice and legal guide (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
· Chapter 7, “Negligence and Malpractice”
· Chapter 8, “Risk Management”
· Chapter 16, “Resolving Ethical Dilemmas”
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2019). Brøset violence checklist. http://riskassessment.no/
Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2015). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. (For review as needed)
· Chapter 23, “Emergency Psychiatric Medicine”
· Chapter 36.2, “Ethics in Psychiatry”
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (Eds.). (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Wiley Blackwell.
· Chapter 19, “Legal Issues in the Care and Treatment of Children With Mental Health Problems”
· Chapter 64, “Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm”
Zakhari, R. (2021). The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification review manual. Springer Publishing Company.
· Chapter 15, “Violence and Abuse”
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