Absconding, where patients under an involuntary mental health order leave hospital without permission, can result in patient harm and emotional and professional implications for nursing staff. However, Australian data to drive nursing interventions remain sparse. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate absconding in three acute care wards from January 2006 to June 2010, in or...

BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated absconding from forensic hospitals and there are no published studies of interventions aimed at reducing these incidents in forensic settings. We present a study of the impact of a new policy using structured professional judgment and an interdisciplinary team-based approach to granting privileges to forensic patients. We assess the impact of this policy...

BACKGROUND Absconding from hospital is a significant health and security issue within psychiatric facilities that can have considerable adverse effects on patients, their family members and care providers, as well as the wider community. Several studies have documented correlates associated with absconding events among general psychiatric samples; however, few studies have examined this phenome...

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine absconding behaviour (a patient leaving the hospital without permission) in acute and rehabilitation wards of one Australian psychiatric institution to describe the characteristics of the absconding patient and these events. BACKGROUND Absconding is a significant issue in psychiatric inpatient settings, with risks that include patie...

Background: Inpatient suicides and absconding of inpatients at risk of self-endangering behavior constitute important challenges for all medical disciplines. Patients at risk are often admitted to locked wards in psychiatric hospitals to prevent absconding, suicide attempts, and suicides. However, there is currently insufficient evidence that treatment on locked wards can effectively prevent th...

Personal characteristics of patients and environmental factors at psychiatric hospitals have been identified as predictors of absconding. This study seeks to establish a relationship between time of the year and absconding. All characteristics of absconders were analysed over a two-year period using hospital records (N= 104). Public holidays and lunar phases were obtained through almanacs for e...

Locking the exit doors of psychiatric wards is believed to reduce the risk of patients absconding. The aims of the study were to investigate both the prevalence of door locking and other exit security measures on UK admission wards, as well as whether door locking appears to be effective in keeping inpatients in. A cross-sectional survey on 136 acute psychiatric wards in the UK was conducted, i...

This paper reviews the literature concerning absconding in mental health. Absconding from mental health in patient units remains a concern and challenge to the therapeutic work conducted in the ward and can result in adverse events such as injury, suicide and even harm to others especially relatives. Careful assessment of absconding risk must occur upon admission and appropriate care interventi...

OBJECTIVE To identify characteristics of patients who abscond from general hospital wards, and to determine patient outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING In-patient wards of a public general hospital, Hong Kong. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Incident reports of 116 absconding episodes over a 20-month period from 1 November 1998 to 30 June 2000 were reviewed. Clinical characteristics, time ...

Results Among compulsory admissions (846 admissions, 11.8% of all admissions) 97 admissions resulted in 148 incidents of absconding involving 72 patients. Typical absconders are younger than 35 years, have a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia with an alcohol/drug comorbidity, are unmarried, and live on social welfare payments. Only 55.4% of absconders were considered harmful to self or others. ...