• To recognise the risk factors and common presentation characteristics of people in suicidal crisis
• To be aware of the vulnerability of people in suicidal crisis
• To enhance your understanding of how to support people in suicidal crisis
Emergency departments (EDs) provide critical opportunities for nurses to support suicide prevention. This article details a service evaluation that was undertaken to explore the characteristics and outcomes of people in suicidal crisis at two EDs in the East of England during June 2023. Data routinely collected by the ED mental health liaison team were combined with a retrospective case note review of the local NHS mental health trust’s electronic patient records. Attendees had a mean age of 35 years and seven months, and were often diagnosed with depression or emotionally unstable personality disorder. Most had a history of self-harm and were currently known to mental health services. Suicide-specific interventions were rarely recorded by nurses and relapse behaviours were prevalent after presentation. Local and national suicide prevention strategies should encourage nurses to address gaps in support, thereby improving patients’ experiences in and beyond the ED.
Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2024.e2204
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Anstee L, Richards S, Shah C et al (2024) Characteristics and outcomes of people in suicidal crisis at two emergency departments: a service evaluation. Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2024.e2204
Published online: 14 May 2024
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