Assignment

The aim of this National Clinical Care Programme (NCP) for the Assessment and Management of Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments Following Self-harm (2016) is to develop a standardized and effective process for the assessment and management of individuals of all age ranges, including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, who present with self-harm to ED.

Critically discuss how an individual who engages in deliberate self-harm can be supported through the aforementioned process of assessment and appropriate intervention.

Self-harming behaviours continue to be a major issue in Canada. This is especially true for young people, whose self-harm rates far outnumber those for adults. Self-harm can sometimes be associated with increased suicidality.

Self-harm has been defined as “a preoccupation with deliberately hurting oneself without conscious suicidal intent, often resulting in damage to body tissue” (Muelehkamp, 2005, p.324).

Self-harm does not include tattooing or piercing, or indirect injury such as substance abuse or eating disorders (Self-Injury Outreach and Support