ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe a cohort of children presenting to a paediatric emergency department with mental health problems. METHODS: An Emergency Department (ED) computerized record system and hospital records were used to obtain data on children who presented to a paediatric ED with mental health problems. RESULTS: There were 291 presentations of 231 children in a 10-month period, about one per day. They were a small (0.8%) but complicated part of the ED workload. Most were first presentations and came voluntarily to ED. There were a wide variety of presenting symptoms including self-harm, suicide attempts, behavioural disorders and medical disorders with associated psychological problems. Acute psychosis was rare. CONCLUSIONS: Many children with mental health problems were seen for the first time in ED. With the growing awareness of mental health problems in this age group, it is likely that such presentations will increase. Paediatric and psychiatry services have an opportunity to work together to provide early intervention services for what is potentially a very accessible population.
Subject(s)
Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Emergency Services, Psychiatric/statistics & numerical data , Medical Audit , Mental Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Psychiatry/standards , Utilization Review , Adolescent , Australia , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Time Factors , WorkloadABSTRACT
Videoconferencing is increasingly being accepted as a medium for health-care. Telenursing is in its infancy in Australia but has enormous potential for nursing care in remote areas. The Child and Adolescent Psychological Telemedicine Outreach Service (CAPTOS) began in 1997 and in its first evaluation recommended more support for paediatric nurses. CAPTOS telenursing began as a new initiative in late 2001. The telenursing project aims to link ward nurses to CAPTOS and local community teams, and to provide both clinical consultancy on nursing and interdisciplinary issues and locally based professional development Telenursing supports nurses via site visits, videoconferencing sessions, an interactive Website and sabbatical opportunities. Telehealth works with existing services to enhance the nursing care of young people with a complex mixture of psychological and physical health problems.
Subject(s)
Nurse Clinicians/education , Pediatric Nursing/education , Telemedicine/organization & administration , Adolescent , Child , Humans , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , New South Wales , Rural Health Services/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Videoconferencing is increasingly being accepted as a medium for health-care. Telenursing is in its infancy in Australia but has enormous potential for nursing care in remote areas. The Child and Adolescent Psychological Telemedicine Outreach Service (CAPTOS) began in 1997 and in its first evaluation recommended more support for paediatric nurses. CAPTOS telenursing began as a new initiative in late 2001. The telenursing project aims to link ward nurses to CAPTOS and local community teams, and to provide both clinical consultancy on nursing and interdisciplinary issues and locally based professional development. Telenursing supports nurses via site visits, videoconferencing sessions, an interactive Website and sabbatical opportunities. Telehealth works with existing services to enhance the nursing care of young people with a complex mixture of psychological and physical health problems.
