Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
-
Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2013
Alcohol-related violence presenting to the emergency department: Is 'glassing' the big issue?
The study aims to describe the characteristics of patients presenting to EDs within Queensland, Australia with injuries because of assault with a glass implement ('glassing') and to set this within the broader context of presentations because of alcohol-related violence. ⋯ Contrary to public perception generated by media, 'glassing' incidents, particularly at licensed venues, constitute a relatively small proportion of all alcohol-related violence. The current study highlights the predominance of young men injured following alcohol-related violence, demonstrating a key focus area within the population for aiming prevention strategies.
-
Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2013
Involuntary admissions under the Mental Health Act 2007 (New South Wales): A comparison of patients detained by ambulance officers, medical practitioners and accredited persons in an emergency department.
The Mental Health Act (MHA) 2007 (New South Wales [NSW]) is used to transport to, detain and treat individuals in a mental health facility. Patients are frequently taken to EDs under the MHA or detained in the ED for a mental health assessment. In NSW, medical practitioners, accredited persons, police and more recently ambulance officers, are authorised to write certificates under the MHA. There is an absence of research on the use of the MHA in NSW EDs. The primary research question for this study was: 'What is the involuntary admission rate for persons detained under the MHA in an NSW tertiary referral ED?' ⋯ Ambulance officer certification was a poor predictor of involuntary psychiatric admission in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Emergency Department. ED physicians should have the authority to revoke the certificate if, following assessment and treatment, the patient no longer fulfils criteria for detention under the MHA.