title: Involuntary Processes: Knowledge Base of Health Care Professionals in a Tertiary Medical Center in Upstate South Carolina.
abstract: The involuntary hospitalization law provides a means by which love ones, caregivers and healthcare professionals can intervene when a mentally ill patient is a danger to self or others. Our study assessed the knowledge of professionals in one of the Greenville Health System (GHS) emergency department (ED) about the involuntary hospitalization process of mental health patients in South Carolina (SC). An eight item survey on the South Carolina involuntary hospitalization and commitment process was developed and distributed to GHS ED staff including: physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and technicians. Our findings indicated that the knowledge base is not consistent across healthcare discipline, nor is it sufficient given that most professionals achieved less than 50% correct response. This study has implications for ongoing education for ED healthcare workers which will be of significant importance to promote beneficence and to uphold the standards of patientcentered practice and compassionate medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences and the Institute of Family and Neighborhood Life, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. sholder2@ghs.org.|Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA. sholder2@ghs.org.
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Calvert
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Griffeth
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Quality Management Department, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blackhurst
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 2908, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ochonma
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013022:South Carolina; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
keywords: Commitment processes; Emergency department; Health care professionals; Involuntary processes