AIMS:
METHODS:
FINDINGS:
CONCLUSIONS:
...Within the ED environment, challenges related to non-acute
health issues often centre on the significant time required to address these
issues. As noted by a few participants, the environment within an ED is focused
on providing a medical assessment and service relatively quickly, and this stands
in contrast to what is often required in addressing a chronic health issue such
as a mental health concern, or an addiction issue. One participant working in
an ED noted that if someone has a mental health concern, and the mental health
nurse working in their ED is available, the person would be called. Sometimes,
however, the mental health nurse is not available and in such instances it can
be difficult to find the time for the patient.
… I find that we don’t have time for mental
health patients or someone seeking addiction services. If they come in and
they’re under the influence [of drugs], we have to deal with the [urgent]
medical problems of the influence first. [A17ED]
Some shelter staff also noted that the multiple and complex
needs of PWUD, beyond housing, can present a real challenge. One shelter staff
participant pointed out that staff sometimes feel ‘ill-equipped’ to deal
effectively with these complex issues, and commented that the number of clients
presenting with addictions and/or mental health concerns has increased in the
recent past.
Drugs, alcohol, mental health are a big part
of what we deal with now [more] than 30 years ago … from a staff perspective,
our front-line staff are extremely challenged. They often feel out of their
element … So staff often feel ill-equipped to deal with a lot of the issues
that they’re being faced with. [A18S]
This participant also described how the time
required to help PWUD, and refer them to a social worker or mental health
counsellor, is not always available as it ‘depends on what’s happening at the
time [in the shelter]’ including the number of staff on duty [A18S]...
Full article at: http://goo.gl/huWhKW
By: Jackson LA1, McWilliam S2, Martin F3, Dingwell J4, Dykeman M5, Gahagan J1, Karabanow J6.
- 1School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University , Halifax, NS , Canada ; Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre, Dalhousie University , Halifax, NS , Canada.
- 2Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre, Dalhousie University , Halifax, NS , Canada.
- 3Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University , Halifax, NS , Canada.
- 4AIDS Saint John , Saint John, NB , Canada.
- 5Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick , Fredericton, NB , Canada.
- 6School of Social Work, Dalhousie University , Halifax, NS , Canada.
- Drugs (Abingdon Engl). 2014 Jun;21(3):244-253.
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