Case Study: Mental Health Crisis Intervention

Overview of the Situation

A member of the seasonal crew needed to be disembarked outside of Spain and was detained under involuntary admission to a psychiatric hospital due to her unstable mental health, which raised significant concerns for her well-being and safety. We successfully helped with our comprehensive approach that built trust with the patient and developed an assessment before a safe repatriation.

Initial Client Requests

The patient’s erratic and abnormal behaviours became evident to the crew’s medical officer, as they exhibited symptoms of mania, confusion, disorientation, agitation, irrationality, and a lack of insight. Given a history of non-compliance with medication and unresolved relationship issues, the patient was medically disembarked to a private psychiatric hospital.

Escalation and Challenges

From the information we had received, our key focus was on four areas:

• Safeguarding: Ensuring the safety of the patient.
• Inconsistencies: Resolving inconsistencies in reports.
• Communication: Managing inconsistent, unreliable, and infrequent updates from the hospital.
• Repatriation Risk: Mitigating potential complications during the escorted repatriation process.

Action Plan Implementation

Over five days, trust was established with the patient, enabling a more accurate assessment of the condition. A UK-registered mental health nurse was authorized to enter the hospital to assess the patient, build rapport, and facilitate repatriation planning.

MedResQ’s Response in Action

Due to significant safeguarding concerns, MedResQ determined that a direct transfer to a hospital in the home country for psychiatric evaluation was necessary. The patient was escorted to the airport, remained stable throughout the journey, avoiding the need for in-flight emergency medication.

Successful Resolution

The successful repatriation of the patient was met with appreciation from MedResQ’s client, who affirmed that seeking assistance had been the right decision. Particularly, the decision to send a nurse to assess and escort the patient was highlighted as a pivotal factor in successfully resolving this challenging case.