TY - JOUR
AU - N. Geffen
AU - I. Rodriguez
AU - M. Wyder
AU - Kar Ray
A1 - 
AB - INTRODUCTION: The overcrowded and overstimulating Emergency Department (ED) is ill-suited to the needs of people experiencing a mental health crisis and risks exacerbating distress. To reduce ED presentations and facilitate care transitions, the role of Transition Coordinator (TC) nurse was created. However, people receiving case management continued to attend ED, experiencing mental distress and needing admission. AIM/QUESTION: This mixed methods study explores the lead-up to these admissions to identify barriers to proactive care transitions. METHOD: Retrospective review of community mental health service clinical records for the 12 months preceding all unexpected admissions via ED in 2023. RESULTS: Themes included difficulty engaging with services, gaps in knowledge of case managers, support workers, and systemic issues including limited hours of service and recent hospital discharge. DISCUSSION: The study highlights the need for integration between hospital and community mental health services, the importance of crisis management planning, and the need for services to work together to smooth care transitions. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding factors associated with unexpected mental health deterioration allows care providers to modify practice and develop services that facilitate seamless care transitions and provide care matched to individual need. RECOMMENDATIONS: Integrated mental health services should consider the quality of care transitions, communication between different arms of the service, early identification of people at risk of mental health crisis, and access to services outside business hours.
AD - Addiction and Mental Health Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; PA-Southside Clinical Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
AN - 41055116
BT - J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 6
DA - Dec
DO - 10.1111/jpm.70036
DP - NLM
ET - 20251007
IS - 6
JF - J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs
LA - eng
N2 - INTRODUCTION: The overcrowded and overstimulating Emergency Department (ED) is ill-suited to the needs of people experiencing a mental health crisis and risks exacerbating distress. To reduce ED presentations and facilitate care transitions, the role of Transition Coordinator (TC) nurse was created. However, people receiving case management continued to attend ED, experiencing mental distress and needing admission. AIM/QUESTION: This mixed methods study explores the lead-up to these admissions to identify barriers to proactive care transitions. METHOD: Retrospective review of community mental health service clinical records for the 12 months preceding all unexpected admissions via ED in 2023. RESULTS: Themes included difficulty engaging with services, gaps in knowledge of case managers, support workers, and systemic issues including limited hours of service and recent hospital discharge. DISCUSSION: The study highlights the need for integration between hospital and community mental health services, the importance of crisis management planning, and the need for services to work together to smooth care transitions. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding factors associated with unexpected mental health deterioration allows care providers to modify practice and develop services that facilitate seamless care transitions and provide care matched to individual need. RECOMMENDATIONS: Integrated mental health services should consider the quality of care transitions, communication between different arms of the service, early identification of people at risk of mental health crisis, and access to services outside business hours.
PY - 2025
SN - 1351-0126
SP - 1412
EP - 1420+
ST - Identifying Barriers to Seamless Mental Health Care Transitions: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Lead-Up to Unplanned Psychiatric Admissions
T1 - Identifying Barriers to Seamless Mental Health Care Transitions: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Lead-Up to Unplanned Psychiatric Admissions
T2 - J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs
TI - Identifying Barriers to Seamless Mental Health Care Transitions: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Lead-Up to Unplanned Psychiatric Admissions
U1 - Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1111/jpm.70036
VL - 32
VO - 1351-0126
Y1 - 2025
ER -