Pearls for Caring for the Boarding Psychiatric Patient in the Emergency Department

Emergency department (ED) boarding of psychiatric patients is a national issue that continues to worsen at a disturbing rate. Implementing strategies in the ED to provide continuous care for patients can help secure patient safety.

The objective of this review is to discuss the boarding of psychiatric patients and its implications. It will focus on executing best clinical practices in managing boarding psychiatric patients in the ED. It will not focus on the treatment of substance use disorders.

This article will address the pearls for management plans that can be implemented in the ED, alongside discussing pregnant and elderly patients. Risk factors, complications, and treatments for boarding psychiatric patients are discussed.

Patients with psychiatric disorders boarding in the ED need careful consideration of management plans to mitigate patient safety events.