Initial care of psychiatric emergency patients

Citation
F. Konig et al., Initial care of psychiatric emergency patients, ANAESTHESIS, 48(8), 1999, pp. 542-548
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Aneshtesia & Intensive Care
Journal title
ANAESTHESIST
ISSN journal
00032417 → ACNP
Volume
48
Issue
8
Year of publication
1999
Pages
542 - 548
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-2417(199908)48:8<542:ICOPEP>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Many patients consulting medical emergency services make the initial contac t because of psychiatric emergency situations. However, emergency physician s and their assistants are usually not sufficiently experienced in psychiat ry. Therefore, psychiatric emergencies are sometimes only reluctantly accep ted or inadequately treated by these services. Our present contribution aim s at improving this situation. It gives a review of the main diagnostic gro ups concerned, their symptomatology and psychopathology,and offers some adv ice with regard to empathic verbal interventions and counselling in those e mergency situations.