Dr. Jean Morrissey

Summary

The aim of this project is to strengthen collaboration between academics and students, service users and practitioners and to develop multi-professional competences in mental health students through a process of co-production. The process uses a participatory research design with collaborative learning methods.

Funding Agency

HEA

Programme

ERASMUS+

Project Type

KA203

Person Months

36

Summary

The Emergency Department is often the first port of call for those who have attempted suicide or have engaged in serious self-harm. For many people, the ED is the only healthcare setting they come into contact with after self-harm as a relatively large number of people are not referred on for specialised mental health services while a significant minority will leave the ED before being formally assessed. It is therefore critical that the person's experience in the ED and the interactions they have with staff there is positive. However, this is not always the case. Although the issue of how service users experience the ED has been explored internationally, we have been unable to find any published studies that explored the experiences of service users who present to Emergency Departments in Ireland following an episode of self-harm. Furthermore, as there is still a significant cohort who leave the ED prior to assessment, it is important to better understand the experience of service users in the ED and whether these experiences are linked to intention to stay for assessment and treatment. This is particularly important for those who present with repeated self-harm which makes up approximately 20% of all self-harm presentations in Ireland and is correlated with completed suicide and increased psychiatric morbidity. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of service users who present to the Emergency Department for treatment of self-harm. Objectives: . To explore service users overall perceptions of care in the Emergency Department following an episode of self-harm; . To specifically explore service users' satisfaction with physical and psychosocial assessment and treatment, discharge referral and after-care, and satisfaction with ED staff; . To identify the reasons those who self-harm leave the Emergency Department before assessment and treatment (this will be a difficult cohort to track and access will have to be negotiated); . To identify how the Emergency Department experience can be improved for service users who self-harm. This aim and objectives are this study are aligned with Goals 4 and 5 of the Irish Suicide Prevention Policy 'Connecting for Life'. Goal 4 aims to enhance accessibility, consistency and care pathways for people vulnerable to suicidal behaviour. This includes the aim to improve psychosocial and psychiatric assessment and care pathways for people vulnerable to suicidal behaviour. Goal 5 aims to ensure safe and high-quality services for people vulnerable to suicide including an aim to improve the response to suicidal behaviour within health and social care services. Doyle, L. (PI), Keogh, B., Morrissey, J. & Higgins, A.

Funding Agency

3Ts - Turn the Tide of Suicide

Project Type

Qualitative study

Person Months

24

Summary

Funding Agency

Nursing Midwifery Professional Development Unit

Project Type

Stepping up to Therapeutic Risk in a mental health context

Summary

Funding Agency

Suicide or Survive

Summary

Evaluation of a 2 and 5 day Training Programme. A mixed methods design

Funding Agency

IMREC -The Irish Mental Health & Recovery Education Consortium.

Project Type

Evaluation study