Volume 11, Issue 4 (Winer 2024)
DSME 2024, 11(4): 407-424 |
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Research code: IR.JUMS.REC.1401.137
Ethics code: IR.JUMS.REC.1401.137
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Tavakol M. Explaining the challenges of providing services to suicidal people in the emergency room: a qualitative study. DSME 2024; 11 (4) :407-424
URL: http://dsme.hums.ac.ir/article-1-476-en.html
URL: http://dsme.hums.ac.ir/article-1-476-en.html
Assistant Professor, Medical Ethic Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
Abstract: (804 Views)
Introduction: Managing patients who have attempted suicide poses significant challenges for healthcare providers, especially in emergency departments. These challenges include ethical dilemmas, cultural stigma, legal concerns, and systemic barriers that can compromise the quality of care. This study aims to identify and explore these challenges faced by healthcare providers in the emergency departments of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences to inform strategies for improving patient care.
Methods: This qualitative study utilized a conventional content analysis approach to explore the experiences and perspectives of emergency department staff, including emergency medicine specialists, physicians, and nurses. Participants were purposively selected based on a minimum of three years’ experience in managing suicide attempts. Data saturation was used to determine sample size. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were then audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using MAXQDA software. Graneheim and Lundman’s content analysis method, involving open coding, categorization, and theme abstraction, was employed to analyze the data.
Results: The study identified several key challenges in managing suicidal patients, which were categorized into main themes and sub-themes. These included breaches in confidentiality, cultural stigmas surrounding mental illness, legal concerns related to patient care, and systemic failures within the emergency care environment. Ethical considerations, particularly maintaining patient autonomy and privacy, were also significant issues highlighted by the participants. Additionally, the emotional and cognitive challenges faced by healthcare providers were evident, reflecting the complexity of care in these high-stakes situations.
Discussion: This findings of this study highlight the multifaceted challenges that healthcare providers encounter in managing suicidal patients in emergency settings. The results underscore the need for systemic reforms, including the enhancement of psychiatric care infrastructure, improved training for healthcare providers, and the adoption of culturally sensitive care approaches. Addressing these challenges through comprehensive strategies could lead to significant improvements in the quality of care provided to suicidal patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes in emergency settings.
Methods: This qualitative study utilized a conventional content analysis approach to explore the experiences and perspectives of emergency department staff, including emergency medicine specialists, physicians, and nurses. Participants were purposively selected based on a minimum of three years’ experience in managing suicide attempts. Data saturation was used to determine sample size. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were then audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using MAXQDA software. Graneheim and Lundman’s content analysis method, involving open coding, categorization, and theme abstraction, was employed to analyze the data.
Results: The study identified several key challenges in managing suicidal patients, which were categorized into main themes and sub-themes. These included breaches in confidentiality, cultural stigmas surrounding mental illness, legal concerns related to patient care, and systemic failures within the emergency care environment. Ethical considerations, particularly maintaining patient autonomy and privacy, were also significant issues highlighted by the participants. Additionally, the emotional and cognitive challenges faced by healthcare providers were evident, reflecting the complexity of care in these high-stakes situations.
Discussion: This findings of this study highlight the multifaceted challenges that healthcare providers encounter in managing suicidal patients in emergency settings. The results underscore the need for systemic reforms, including the enhancement of psychiatric care infrastructure, improved training for healthcare providers, and the adoption of culturally sensitive care approaches. Addressing these challenges through comprehensive strategies could lead to significant improvements in the quality of care provided to suicidal patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes in emergency settings.
Type of Study: Orginal |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/09/9 | Accepted: 2025/01/12 | Published: 2025/03/18
Received: 2024/09/9 | Accepted: 2025/01/12 | Published: 2025/03/18
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