An Allied Mental Health Aide Memoire to Disposition of Minors, Following Presentation to Emergency Department with Mental Health Difficulties

Abstract

Assessing and managing mental health issues in minors in the emergency department (ED) can be different from the management of adults. This may cause confusion to newly recruited staff in an ED. This paper aims to give a broad overview of some of the Commonwealth-based legal concepts which apply to minors with reference to basic medical standards such as good medical practice. Practice points are emphasised that apply to the management of minors which applies to many jurisdictions. The aim is to give personnel commencing in ED a simplified but comprehensive overview. For out-of-hours a template and aide memoire, up to date in early 2015, is given on how to clarify and streamline reflection on client management, disposition and reduce potential confusion about the diverse legal frameworks that pertain to mental health care of minors.

Discharge of psychiatric patients against psychiatrist’s advice

“…Evaluation of the factors associated with the discharge against medical advice seems necessary because the failure of patients to complete the course of treatment is a risk factor for relapse, readmission, and the imposition of additional costs for the patient ( 3 ). Also, examining the causes and factors related to discharge against medical advice, the weaknesses of mental health care, and the necessary steps for improvement could be identified ( 4 ). Due to the lack of sufficient studies on this issue in Iran and the necessity of knowing the factors related to DAMA in psychiatric patients, this study aimed to investigate the factors related to discharge against medical advice in psychiatric patients using two different methods, including 1) fulfillment of routine ministry-approved checklist by the dischargers themselves and, 2) interviewing with both the patients and dischargers based on the researcher-made checklist.…”