Inclusion Criteria: Patients exhibiting psychological disturbances that produce thoughts, feelings, and behaviors destructive to the patient or another person. Paramedics must report all patients with suspected suicide attempt or ideation to BioTel before leaving the scene. Treat patients suspected of taking an overdose using the POISONED PATIENT AND OVERDOSE Guidelines. Treat patients with an altered level of consciousness using the ALTERED LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS Guidelines.
Special Note: For patients with a psychiatric emergency who are in police custody, refer to the CUSTODY policy.
SPECIAL NOTE: NEVER transport a patient in the prone position.
NOTE: Consider alternative, organic explanations for seemingly psychiatric or behavioral symptoms. (A-E-I-O-U-T-I-P-S; alcohol, epilepsy (or head injury), insulin (hypoglycemia), overdose, underdose, trauma, infection, psychosis, sepsis.)
Basic Level
Advanced Level