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Education and Research Center for Psychological Counseling and Guidance

Guidance and Psychological Counseling Application and Research Center

Emergency Guide

There are sometimes urgent situations (usually where there is a risk of harm to the learner and others) when action must be taken in the face of difficulties. These emergencies can be listed as follows:

If the student is under the influence of alcohol or drugs;

If you have any doubts about this, ask the student directly if he/she has taken alcohol or any other substance. Do not hesitate to ask questions about whether he/she is likely to harm himself/herself or someone else. Many students will be relieved that someone is paying attention to their distress, that they are being noticed.

If he/she shows strange behaviors and conversations that indicate that he/she is out of touch with reality;

Hallucinations

Delusions

Disorganized thoughts,

Confusion (clouding of the mind)

Desorientation (impaired awareness of time and place)

Excessive aggression and risk of harm to others (due to intentional or unintentional impairment of thought processes or negligence)

Suicide risk and attempted suicide

If the student threatens self-harm, writes notes about it or explicitly talks about suicide; if there are implicit non-verbal messages about saying goodbye,

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN SUICIDE RISK OR ATTEMPTS?

1) Responsibilities of the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Application and Research Center in intervention in suicide cases:

Suicide is any attempt against one's own physical integrity and this is a medical condition that requires intervention. In such cases, first medical first aid is required.

At the beginning of the interviews, a consent letter stating that the confidentiality condition will be abolished if the person harms himself/herself or someone else is read to all students receiving counseling services and signed consent is obtained.

In case of suicide attempts, the student is referred to the psychiatric service at the health institution where the student is taken. The student's physical and mental health is evaluated after the necessary “medical and psychiatric” interventions are made. If follow-up at Mersin University Guidance and Psychological Counseling Application and Research Center is appropriate, psychiatric treatment can be continued in addition.

2) If a third party (friends, academic or administrative staff) learns that a student has suicidal thoughts;

- The person who learns about these thoughts encourages the student to seek psychological help and directs them to the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Application and Research Center.

- If the student agrees to an individual interview, the necessary evaluations are made by psychological counselors and psychologists. The process is initiated for the student to be referred to the psychiatric service of a hospital.

- If the student refuses to receive psychological support, this situation is shared with the family or relatives and information is provided (the principle of confidentiality may be violated if the person is at risk of harming himself/herself or others).

- Relevant persons and units should be in contact with each other in all steps of crisis response.

- Even if the person is receiving psychological treatment, it should be remembered that unfortunately it is not 100% possible to prevent suicide.

3) If a student attending the guidance and psychological counseling center for individual interviews mentions suicide to the psychological counselor or psychologist during the interviews;

- A risk assessment is made.

- If the risk level is low, a verbal or written agreement is made with the student that he/she will not harm himself/herself and he/she is directed to receive psychiatric support (if the student does not accept support, the student is informed and his/her family is informed).

- In case of medium and high risk, the student is notified and the family and the relevant administrative person are informed. The process is initiated for the student's urgent referral to a hospital's psychiatric service.

- After the first intervention, a joint evaluation is made with the psychiatric service and if it is appropriate to follow up at the University Guidance and Psychological Counseling Application and Research Center, it is followed up from there.

4) In case of a suicide attempt at the university or in the dormitory;

Medical Intervention:

The medical intervention to be carried out is the first aid and life-saving procedures to be applied to the life-threatening situation of the student who attempted suicide;

- In case of suicide attempts in dormitories or on campus, the first intervention is carried out by a doctor or nurse in the institution or in a health institution outside the institution.

- Regardless of the extent of the suicide attempt, the person's family must be notified. If a person is likely to harm himself/herself or someone else, the fact that he/she is over the age of 18 does not constitute an obstacle to informing his/her family.

5) If the emergencies listed above occur on campus and during working hours;

If you think that the student may cause physical harm to himself/herself or someone else, contact the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Center or the Security Unit immediately. Remember that the student's safety and physical well-being are the top priority in such situations. Therefore, when sharing the student's situation with the relevant people, do not hesitate to provide information, thinking that you may upset the student.

6) If such a situation occurs on campus and outside of working hours;

Notify the Security Unit and the Dean of Students Office and get help to take the student to the nearest hospital.

112 Emergency Service should be directed to the nearest health institution: Mersin University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital.

7) If the student is staying at the dormitory;

Make sure that the Dormitory Manager is aware of the situation.

8) If one of these situations occurs outside the campus;

Ensure that the student is not left alone and referred to a health institution or contact “112 Emergency Service, 155 Police Dispatch” and then inform the family.

Security Unit Contact Number

Çiftlikköy Campus: (0324) 361 01 15

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