They defend its importance at a time when “disorders such as anxiety, depression, addictions or suicidal ideas flourish”
In the face of this Covid-19 health emergency, mental health nurses “become more necessary than ever since they carry out essential work for the well-being of patients, guarantee the care and treatment of symptoms, support in the recovery process , as well as in the acceptance of the disease and the relationship with the closest environment, “as explained in a statement from the College of Nursing of the Region of Murcia.
At a time when “disorders such as anxiety, depression, addictions or suicidal ideas are on the rise, without forgetting the not insignificant figures of serious ailments such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, we demand the presence of specialist nurses in multidisciplinary teams in the Mental Health teams, an urgent need that must be considered by political leaders”, they defended.
“We are concerned and concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the emotional stability of children and adolescents, whose lives have been interrupted from the social point of view in full development of their personality, and it also seems that it is materializing in an increase in mental disorders, according to experts. In particular, adolescents are presenting more depressive symptoms, self-harm and suicidal behavior, “they highlighted in the statement.
Data
Before the pandemic, it was estimated that 30% of minors had presented suicidal ideation at some point, 10% had attempted it and 2% seriously, requiring medical attention. It is estimated that 18% of minors self-harm before the age of 18.
The ANAR Foundation (Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk) attended 145% more calls from minors with suicidal ideas or attempts during the pandemic period, and 180% more self-harm compared to the previous two years. In 2020, 14 children under the age of 15 committed suicide in Spain, twice as many as the previous year. Among the group of young people between 15 and 29 years of age, suicide is already the second cause of death, only surpassed by malignant tumors. The presence of depressive symptoms, greater exposure to Covid cases, and greater consumption of social networks are risk factors for suicidal behavior today.
In the Region of Murcia «since 2019 we have had a child and adolescent psychiatry hospitalization unit at the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital. It started as a small unit and currently has five rooms, 8 admission beds and a waiting list. In 2019 there were 3 patients for suicide attempt and in 2020, 16. They are patients who have attempted suicide, those who have had suicidal ideation are not counted ».
The consultations of minors and adolescents to the mental health services of the Murcian Health Service (SMS) increased “more than 25%, and those of psychiatry who arrive urgently due to self-harm, 50% We believe that the involvement of nurses and Primary Care nurses can be of great help in the application of the Suicide Prevention Plan in educational centers and for this reason we ask the Ministries of Health and Education to have these nurses and specialist nurses, in addition to the creation of more EIR places in Mental Health and the hiring of more professionals in Mental Health units so that the nurse/patient ratios are adapted».