A nurse-led pathway to treat self-harm injuries

Self-harm occurs frequently in psychiatric hospitals and other mental health and outpatient settings. Many patients at the Ayr Clinic are at risk of self-harm and often access the local accident and emergency service for minor injury care. The medical and nursing response to people who repeatedly self-harm, given increasing pressures and dwindling A&E resources, can often be one of impatience, frustration and hostility. A nurse-led pathway was developed by the Ayr Clinic and NHS Ayrshire and Arran to fast-track the assessment and treatment of such injuries and improve health professionals' attitudes towards these patients. This project was winner of the Nursing Times emergency and critical care awrad 2014.