Non-medical prescribing considerations in emergency mental health services

Douglas, Kathryn; MacVicar, Sonya

Abstract

The emergency mental health practitioner's job involves providing immediate care to patients who are suffering a mental health crisis. Independent nurse prescribing supports this service through timely access to pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures or cognitive behavioural strategies. This case study involves a service user diagnosed with bipolar type II disorder who presents with suicidal ideation, and outlines the prescribing options available for short-term crises and long-term risk management. There is a complex balance of appraising physical and mental health including capacity, assessment of risk of self-harm and harm to others, and working in consultation to optimise adherence and concordance. The authors highlight the importance of using a person-centred approach, which includes family, carers and their wider support network, to develop a therapeutic relationship which promotes positive outcomes. This is further supported by utilising the most recent and up-to-date policy, guidelines and legislation, including local and national policies.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 6, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jul 7, 2022
• Publication Date: Jul 2, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jul 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 3, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Prescribing Practice
• Print ISSN: 2631-8385
• Electronic ISSN: 2631-8393
• Publisher: Mark Allen Healthcare
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 312-316
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/jprp.2022.4.7.312
• Keywords: Bipolar type II disorder, non-medical prescribing, mental health prescribing, suicide ideation, quetiapine, lorazepam, lamotrigine
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2886441