Iatrogenic Complications of Compulsory Treatment in a Patient Presenting with an Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and Self-Harm.

Attempted suicide and deliberate self-harm are common and challenging presentations in the emergency department. A proportion of these patients refuse interventions and this presents the clinical, legal, and ethical dilemma as to whether treatment should be provided against their will. Multiple factors influence this decision. It is difficult to foresee the multitude and magnitude of complications that can arise once it has been decided to treat individuals who do not consent. This case illustrates a particularly complex chain of events that occurred after treating someone against their will who presented with self-harm and suicidal ideation. These consequences are contrasted with those of not intervening when similar situations arose with the same patient.

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2021 Charlotte Burrin et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

NFD and CB report no conflict of interest. JZ was the responsible clinician for the psychiatric inpatient care for this patient on Springbank. DC was one of the liaison psychiatrists involved in her care. RNC was one of the liaison psychiatrists involved in her care. RNC consults for Campden Instruments Ltd and receives royalties from Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Enterprise, and Routledge.