Objective: To develop a practical nursing intervention to address the individualized treatment needs of suicidal young adults in Baltimore City. Epidemiological data indicate that suicide is the third leading cause of death for young adults ages 15-24 in Maryland. The highest suicide rate in the state of Maryland among adolescents is in Baltimore City.
Design: Cross-Sectional/Descriptive
Population: Emergency Room Nurses
Sample/Setting: One nursing representative from the Emergency Department's of 9 Baltimore City hospitals
Concepts studied: Educational needs of emergency department nurses when assessing suicidal teenagers
Method: Data from interviews were analyzed by categorization to reach consensus of the investigators. Availability of resources, referrals, written literature, and nurse's knowledge base and personal comfort levels were reviewed.
Findings: Emergency room nurses revealed a lack of preparation in caring for emotionally unstable adolescents. Nurses maintained safety while waiting for psychiatric professionals to provide appropriate treatment and/or placement. Psychiatric assessments were often delayed and long waiting periods were not uncommon. Minimal patient educational materials were available in the emergency rooms. There are very limited referral resources available for this population especially those adolescents under the age of 18. Nursing personal comfort levels were low, with many individuals reporting this population was time intensive and behaviorally challenging.
Conclusions: Providing access to current treatment interventions, local referral sources and written materials may enhance the care and treatment of this special population. In response to the expressed needs revealed during nurse interviews, a user friendly website was designed. This educational site was intended to increase the individual nurse's level of knowledge, to offer access to current referral resources and provide a downloadable informational brochure for patients and families. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the web-based intervention.
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