Triggering (SI/OD) - What happens if you go to A&E?
Hey everyone,
Just wondering what happens when you go to A&E after SI or an OD. I mean, I'm always really scare when I go for appointments and stuff that I'll go in and they'll admit me. I mean, logically I know this won't happen because they don't ACTUALLY seem to care, but just wondering what happens for something slightly more extreme?
Do they get you to stay in hospital? Even if it's the first time you've been? I don't get it. I've heard of some people going to A&E and then being sent home again, but I'm worried.
Anyways, thanks for reading
x
And you're my obsession, I love you to the bones...
well i've been to a&e twice in the last 2 weeks for od... both times i didn't take enough to cause any damage...they ust checked my blood pressure and heart rate a few time...might send a senior psychiatric nurse who does a brief assessment and discharge you...thats what happened to me..
Last edited by DannieGirl : 30-04-2010 at 10:59 AM.
Reason: spelling change
It really depends on the incident your there for. The seriousness etc.
Your intentions when SIing or ODing.
They may get a pyshc nurse to see and assess you or they may send you home and write to your GP/shrink to inform them of your attendence.
Each time I go it is differant I get offered the chance to speak to someone, which I turn down and they make the decision as to whether they deem you safe to leave or not.
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they usually have a crisis nurse see you and see how safe you are. if you are stil wanting to harm yourself they may admit you. otherwise they will keep you for as long as they need o make you better and then send you home. it all depends on circumstances
Hi hun....from my experiences, this is what happens....
you first of all book in at the reception desk and then wait to see a triage nurse who will assess your wounds or take details of any od.
If youve taken an od they normally keep you in the room and take bloods and maybe get treatment. This may involve an overnight stay depending on the results of the blood test and what you have taken
If its a wound you have and the triage nurse feels it needs attention from a doctor you will be asked to sit in the waiting area until your name is called again for stitches/treatment.
Depending on how you present yourself they may assess you and may ask for you to see either the crisis team or the on call psych....they normally just have a chat with you and ask a few questions..nothing to really worry about.
If you appear at risk then they may admit you.
All of this can take hours..my usual length of stay for a wound can be upto 4 hours.
Hope this helps....feel free to pm if you have any questions xxxx
The majority of the time I have been to A&E for stitches they have just let me go home again, although usually my mum/dad was with me so I suppose they assumed I would be looked after.
On a few ocassions they asked the psychiatrist to see me to check I was okay and I was allowed to leave.
One time I had actually tried to kill myself and I asked them to be admitted and I was.
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Thanx for the replies guys! That's really brilliant.
So, say you went in with a cut. Would you tell them it was SI? I guess it would be pretty obvious. If you said that you weren't trying to kill yourself and that you felt fine now do you think they would believe you?
I'd be worried about saying anything incase I said the wrong thing and they made me stay
Thanks again for replies
x
And you're my obsession, I love you to the bones...
Ive always been honest with them and told them it was self harm...but they dont 'bat an eyelid' because they see it so often.
sometimes they have asked if i was trying to kill myself, the times when i have said yes i saw a member of the crisis team but they always let me go home, maybe with the promise of a phonecall the following day
The times when ive said no im not trying to kill myself they just treated me for the wound and allowed me home.
I can understand your fear hun...the first time i went was my third attempt at walking in. In the end i went with a friend
When I went in both times for SI, they just asked me if I was seeing or talking to anyone, and depending on whether you say yes (they say okay, stitch you up and send you on your way) or no (they ask if you want to speak to their on call psychologist). This is my personal experience.
EDIT: I tried to tell them it was an accident and she took one look at another small cut I had and she said 'is this self harm?' and for some reason I couldn't say no.
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“I told him I was going to betray you, and betray Lyra, and he believed me because I was corrupt and full of wickedness; he looked so deep I felt sure he'd see the truth. But I lied too well. I was lying with every nerve and fiber and everything I'd ever done...I wanted him to find no good in me, and he didn't. There is none.”
In my experiences.
When i took an OD i went in 2 days after the od so as soon as i told them they took some bloods and about an hour later started a drip, well it was 2. I had to stay in overnight and my vital signs were checked every 2-4 hours or so then the following day i had to speak to the crisis team and was allowed home after they did another blood test as that was ok/ normal they let me go. As far as cuts go etc. Normally at the desk they asked, name, DOB, Dr name etc what you have done have you have done it, sometimes they ask at the desk if you did it to youself other times not. Sent to wait in the waiting room then you see the triage nurse to see had bad the injury is , they ask a few questions depending on were on your bdy you hurt yourself. why. how, when etc . From there your sent to wait back outside in the waiting room which for me its normally an hour or 2. From there you get called in by a nurse or a doctor who gives you whatever treatment you need and asked the same questions the doctor i saw asked alot my questions then the nurse that time. Have you ever been treated here before, ever done anything like this before, then the sh questions, why , how, when, what with. etc.
Hope that helps also if no one has said this is might be good to have a look at the A&E guide in the first aid section.
my visits to a&e for SI have varied a lot. Most times I have the same experiences as lauren above, but one 1 or 2 occassions they have actually admitted me which scared the hell out of me... but I later found out they admitted me cuz I seemed quite anxious and agitated and so didnt want me waiting in the waiting room by myself...
all times (even when they admitted me) I was always sent home afterwards
The first few times I went in though I never had to see the psych team but now they make me...
hope this helps a bit
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For OD's - I was admitted nearly every time, bloods taken, vital signs checked frequently, especially if it was a serious OD, also get put on a heart machine if your heart is affected as I was for some OD's, given treatment if needed, you see the psych on call the next day or if you aren't admitted, the day you come in, & then you're allowed home if you're deemed safe enough to.
For SH - same as above really, go in, get treated, questions etc from the nurses, which can be anxiety-provoking, and patronizing too, some have been awful towards me, same with OD's, and then you're sent home... though less likely to be admitted with SH I think.
As everyone has already said, it basically depends on the circumstances and your intentions. In my experience, you get admitted if you say it was a suicide attempt and/or have left a note and it's obvious that you made a so-called *serious* attempt but otherwise you get let go.
Yeah, I've been to A&E quite a lot recently. I hate it, but yeah.
I've actually ended up in A&E in 3 different hospitals, and they've all been pretty similar, and all actually, these times very good.
Recently I've been because of ODs, generally I've given my name and details at the desk, and then been called through super quick, asked what I'd taken, how long ago, allergies, the usual, and normally weighed, because your weight affects the antidote. Then each time I've been taken through and given a bed then depending on how long after the OD, I've had blood taken, and a cannula put in. A couple of times I've just a regular fluids drip or a glucose and anti-sickness meds, while I've been waiting for bloods. Once the bloods come back, they determine if they need to treat you or not. If you do need treatment, it will be an overnight stay.
Every time I've had to see the crisis team or the liason psych team, who've given me crisis numbers and set me up with the crisis team. They then usually contact my GP and psych to let them know I've been there. I've been admitted once from A&E after the physical stuff was sorted, but I was in a really bad state.
When I've been for SI, they haven't always made me see the crisis team, because I already have a psych, and they've always been lovely, checking everything out and asking questions. I never tell them at the desk that it's SI, but ususally the doctors/nurses can figure it out.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
oh yeah, I mean there's nothing that says just because you don't need the antidote or whatever that you won't have to stay, it's happened to me in the past where I haven't needed treatment and I've still had to stay for observation.
Sorry, I'm not being clear, what I meant was that in my experience with the most common antidote, because you have it over 20 hours you will more than likely have to stay in.
Sorry for any confusion.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Make us all feel wonderful. We'll never forget."
Ok I think this all depends on age, area, your intention, etc..
Most areas usually admit individuals under a certain age, if they are uncertain of their risk level, and would like to have a professional from CAMHS rather than Adult Services. CAMHS work slightly differently from Adult Services, that ge's all...
My experiences, when I was under CAMHS services, I was admitted when I OD'd and didn't need treatment, as well as with. Although, wasn't admitted when I self-injured badly, but have heard of a few friends that have been admitted when they have self-injured badly, because they were a risk to themselves.
When I was under Adult services, depending on what I had taken (waht seemed dangerous or not), I would be admitted with treatment, or just for observation. If my bloods were fine, and didn't need treatment would usually talk to someone then leave. Only really get admitted to general hospital for SH, if you need an operation or such.
I hope that's helpful.
Last edited by FragileWings : 01-05-2010 at 09:07 PM.
"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes." - W. Gibson.
Just wondering what happens when you go to A&E after SI or an OD. I mean, I'm always really scare when I go for appointments and stuff that I'll go in and they'll admit me. I mean, logically I know this won't happen because they don't ACTUALLY seem to care, but just wondering what happens for something slightly more extreme?
Do they get you to stay in hospital? Even if it's the first time you've been? I don't get it. I've heard of some people going to A&E and then being sent home again, but I'm worried.
Anyways, thanks for reading
x
With regards to SI...they will treat the wound etc, and depending on what you tell them, they may or may not refer you to see a psych.
With OD's It all depends, you get medically monitored, and if you need treatment you will have it, but you will not be allowed to see a psych until you are medically cleared. If you dont need treatment, you will see one the same day.
