Amplification of risk in mental health risk assessment

Deering, Kris

Abstract

This presentation discusses how UK mental health nurses’ concern of experiencing moral indignation (e.g. outrage provoked by perceived unjust behaviours) may inadvertently increase bias in determining service users’ risk to self and others. Concern of moral indignation could lead to more restrictive practices within risk management as the assessment indicates to the service user being of more risk (e.g. of suicide or assault) than actually known. Reduced service user involvement in assessment potentially amplifies risks by nurses erring on the side of caution as there is tendency to rely on risk assessing instruments evidencing factors that increase risk rather than its reduction. Thereafter, nurses could be reluctant to involve service user fearing moral indignation either from the service user or self-imposed as risk interventions become characteristic of social control. Apprehension of public moral indignation could equally influence nurses to perceive more risk especially during uncertainty in what risks are and how these are occurring. Potentially assessment results in an increase of risks to allow for safety options perhaps otherwise restricted by budgetary constraints, e.g. hospital admission. The presentation will conclude that concern for moral indignation may increase possible deceptive practice of assuming increased risks and being more restrictive to reduce risks. Alternatively the collaborative practice of positive risk taking has benefits whereby care is seen through a lens of coping with uncertainty in life, a challenge for both nurses and service users, and might be reduced by there being transparency of apprehension (on risks) between both parties

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Character and Virtues in the Professions: An Interdisciplinary Conference
• Start Date: Jun 2, 2016
• End Date: Jun 4, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2020
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5955083
• Related Public URLs: https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/1673/conferences/character-and-virtues-in-the-professions