Citation

Cailhol L, Allen M, Moncany AH, Cicotti A, Virgillito S, Barbe RP, Lazignac C, Damsa C. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2007; 29(1): 42-44.

Affiliation

Service d'accueil d'urgence et de liaison psychiatrique, Cantonal University Hospital Geneva, 24, rue Micheli-du-Crest, Universitary Hospital Geneva 24, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2006.10.007

PMID

17189744

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: In spite of much effort to create guidelines on the management of violent behavior (VB) in emergency departments, little is known about the impact of such guidelines on a real-life emergency environment. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of a staff educational crisis intervention (SECI) on the reduction of VB in patients admitted to emergency departments following drug suicidal attempt. METHOD: The impact of a SECI on VB of patient consulting the ER following a drug suicide attempt was assessed by comparing the occurrence of VB before (5 months) and after (5 months) the introduction of a SECI. RESULTS: A significant reduction in VB (from 17.32% to 7.14%) was found with the comparison of two 5-month periods: before (254 patients) and after (224 patients) the introduction of a SECI program (chi(2)=11.238; P=.0008). CONCLUSION: These preliminary data suggest the need for further prospective randomized studies aiming to prevent VB in emergency departments by developing specific SECI programs.

Language: en