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BMC Emergency Medicine
Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Care | Research

Left with a Sisyphean task – the experiences of nurse practitioners with treating non-suicidal self-injury in the emergency department: a descriptive qualitative study

Authors: Kickan Roed, Cecilie Rostrup Brauner, Senayt Yigzaw, Julie Midtgaard

Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a prevalent phenomenon in somatic emergency departments, where nurses are the most consistent group of healthcare professionals who treat people with NSSI, which means they may affect the NSSI trajectory and help-seeking in the future. The objective of this study was to describe the experiences of nurse practitioners with treatment of people presenting with NSSI in the emergency department.

Methods

Individual, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with seventeen purposefully recruited nurse practitioners from three emergency departments in the Capital Region of Denmark. Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive content analysis, as described by Graneheim and Lundman.

Results

The analysis resulted in the formulation of three categories and 10 subcategories describing how nurse practitioners feel confident and competent in treating physical injuries due to NSSI but at the same time insecure about how to provide adequate care and engage in conversations about NSSI and mental wellbeing with people with NSSI. An overarching theme, ‘Left with a Sisyphean task’, reflects the nurses’ feeling of being handed the responsibility for performing a laborious, never-ending, and futile task.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that nurse practitioners feel confident and competent in treating physical injuries due to NSSI but insecure about how to provide adequate care. Therefore, there is a need for training and guidelines.
Appendix
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Footnotes
1
ED staff use the label frequent flyers colloquially when referring to a subpopulation of individuals with mental health conditions who frequently visit EDs [26, p. 1539]. Well-known by ED staff, frequent flyers are often viewed as super utilisers and problem patients [26, p. 1539].
 
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Metadata
Title
Left with a Sisyphean task – the experiences of nurse practitioners with treating non-suicidal self-injury in the emergency department: a descriptive qualitative study
Authors
Kickan Roed
Cecilie Rostrup Brauner
Senayt Yigzaw
Julie Midtgaard
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Care
Published in
BMC Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-227X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00888-6

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