Mental Health Care in the Emergency Department
- Regina Seyfried
- May 27
- 2 min read
I worked in the emergency department (ED) as a registered nurse for 27 years, where I often encountered patients struggling with suicidal thoughts or other mental health crises. They didn't know where to go and so they would come to get help at the ED. This was sometimes not an ideal situation. There were times that they would stay in the emergency department for up to 7 days due to no mental health beds in San Antonio. The fast-paced nature of the emergency department meant limited time to engage with them beyond providing meals and basic safety.
After becoming a family nurse practitioner, I realized within a year that I needed to go back to school. While I could manage chronic physical conditions like diabetes and hypertension, I was not meeting their mental health needs. That awareness led me to pursue additional training and eventually brought me to an internship with Dr. Melissa Deuter at Sigma. While at Sigma I discovered a model of care that I deeply believed in.
At Sigma, we can see patients who are going through a mental health crisis, often in a same or next day appointment. Many times we can start an outpatient medication and have follow up appointments to monitor it. This can help keep them out of the emergency department in certain situations. Sigma Mental Health Urgent Care fills a critical gap in services in both San Antonio and Austin. Patients are heard and validated as soon as they walk through the door. They receive care tailored to their needs; something I wasn't always able to provide in the emergency department.
After working in the Emergency Department for so many years, I believe that working at Sigma has been truly rewarding for me. I love working with the staff and have an amazing mentor in Dr. Deuter. Most of all, I am grateful to help bridge the gap in mental health care that I witnessed for so many years and to support patients when they need it the most.
Regina Seyfried, PMHNP-BC
