UK Nurses’ Organization Supports Supervised Self-Injury
Posted by Mentally Interesting on April 26, 2006
For some background on this issue read my March 22, 2006 post: Hospital Permits Self-Injury
In a debate at the Royal College of Nursing's Bournemouth Conference the majority of nurses supported allowing some type of "safe" self-harm for patients.
Read the BBC News article
My concern is that health professionals are supporting this for the wrong reasons. Getting self-injurers to use sterilized tools and properly care for their wounds will reduce emergency room visits. And hospitalized patients that are allowed to self-harm during their stay will probably be calmer leading to shorter hospital stays and less conflicts between patients and staff. "Safe" self-harm sounds like a great idea for the country's health-care budget. But I'm not sure that it's what's best for the patient.
Cat said
I do not think this is good at all. I know if I had this happen to me, instead of finding new ways, I would’ve kept cutting. This prolongs the desire. It makes it acceptable in some form.
I think this is a mistake.
Louise Pembroke said
I organised the first 2 conferences for service users on harm-minimisation [producing the only book on the subject that I know of], and I have organised and will chair the first conference for health workers in November, London UK [Pavillion Publishing]. I have first hand experience of self-harm and without someone having shown me the basics of anatomy and woundcare and ’safer’ ways of harming I would not have the use of my arms today. Harm-minimisation is not a pancea, shouldn’t be forced on anyone and should always come with supportive care to explore the functions and meanings of a persons harm along with exploring the range of coping strategies to include more than self-harm. It can however assist people who self-harm to take more control, limit the risks of permanent damage and start to consider possible compromises. This increases choices.
It is being increasingly recognised by health service workers that models of prohibition simply do not work and can increase the very risks they seek to reduce. The service user can decide what is best for them, and although it might feel unpalatable for some health workers, it’s about facing the reality that it will happen – so lets make it safer. There is no problem with the concept within drug/alcohol and HIV services, [not that I am suggesting self-harm is an addiction because I don't subscribe to that theory], they have been doing it for years. It’s about being pragmatic.