Saberes e práticas em urgências e emergências psiquiátricas [Knowledge and practices in urgent and emergency psychiatric care] [Saberes y prácticas en urgencias y emergencias psiquiátricas]

Abstract

Objective: to identify the difficulties in implementation of emergency care for users in psychiatric suffering in the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU). Method: in this qualitative study of 34 SAMU nursing personnel in a town in Northeast Brazil, data were collected by semi-structured interview, and analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The study was approved by the human research ethics committee (CAAE 17326513.0.0000.5537). Results: the categories that emerged from the interviewees’ discourse were: barriers in urgent and emergency psychiatric care and strategies to establish comprehensive urgent and emergency psychiatric care. These conditions are explained by inappropriate care being offered and by the absence of a mental health services system capable of solving the problems. Conclusion: the lack of an organized, hierarchical mental health care system constitutes an obstacle to fulfilling the guidelines of the Psychiatric Reform in practice.