When a patient absconds from the ED:
(patient - with or without mental health concerns):
- Telephone the patient and ask him/her to come back for assessment / treatment
- Contact the patient’s next-of-kin
- Contact security to search the hospital area
- Report to the ED Shift Leader/CNM/Senior Nursing Management
- Report to EM Consultant/Registrar
- Report to the patients in-house speciality team if patient has been admitted/or had a consultation
- Consider contacting the Gardaí
- Follow up with the patients GP
- Complete an incident form
If it is found that there is no need for immediate concern regarding this patient for their acute care needs:
- The chart is placed in the designated slot in the Clinical Decision Unit by the reception staff
- The on-call EM Consultant for that shift reviews the case (at an appropriate time) and proceeds accordingly