SEUP nursing conference: compendium of communications

Introduction.Pediatric mental health emergencies have increased since the 1990s, representing between 2% and 5% of the total.The most common reasons are anxiety, aggression, suicidal ideation, decompensation of previous disorders, and intoxications.Management includes evaluation, non-pharmacological intervention, pharmacological treatment if necessary, and, only in extreme cases, physical restraint and hospitalization.Immobilization must be an exceptional and temporary measure, as it violates ethical principles, can generate adverse effects, and cause stress to professionals.As an alternative, verbal containment seeks to reduce distress through assertive communication and requires specific training for healthcare personnel, especially when the service does not have a mental health nurse specialist. Objectives.To analyze the approach to agitation crises in patients with psychiatric pathology treated in pediatric emergencies using verbal containment strategies, and to identify evidence-based de-escalation techniques that promote a safe environment for both the patient and healthcare personnel. Methods.A literature review was conducted between September and October 2025, not included in a broader line of research; published in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases.The main search strategy used controlled vocabulary DeCS: "emergency service, hospital", "de-escalation", "pediatrics", "psychomotor agitation", and free terminology.Inclusion criteria were articles published in the last 10 years, in Spanish or English.Exclusion criteria were articles with a non-conforming title or abstract with inconclusive results.Fourteen articles were reviewed, and, through an evaluation of methodological quality with the Spanish Critical Reading Skills Program, 7 were finally selected.A descriptive theoretical study published by the Official College of Nursing of Madrid was added as grey literature. Results.The evidence found highlights verbal deescalation as a key intervention, especially within the renowned Project BETA (Richmond et al. 2010) of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, which proposes a structured approach across ten domains.They thus offer clear guidelines based on respect, concise communication, active listening, establishing clear boundaries, and identifying wants and needs.Within the nursing care plan, it is included in the diagnosis of acute confusion [00128].However, a descriptive study carried out in 2023 in three American pediatric emergency departments showed significant deficiencies: 58.7% of the respondents were nurses and only 9.6% used agitation scales, 12.9% followed specific guidelines, and 24.2% had received training.For this reason, 82.5% considered medication as the first resource.Even so, the evidence shows that standardized verbal de-escalation, from a multidisciplinary approach, reduces the use of restraint and improves the therapeutic alliance.Conclusions.Verbal containment is confirmed as an essential tool for safely and humanely managing agitation in pediatrics.Its proper use, based on empathy, active listening, and clear, non-coercive communication, allows reducing the need for physical or pharmacological interventions.Furthermore, it promotes a greater therapeutic alliance and confidence in health services for the child or adolescent who has suffered an episode of psychomotor NURSING ARTICLE SEUP nursing conference: compendium of communicationsJornada de enfermería de la SEUP: compendio de comunicaciones agitation.To guarantee its effectiveness, the training of healthcare personnel is essential, as it facilitates the early identification of agitation and the correct application of verbal de-escalation strategies.