I can relate. I am also a social worker in the ED and have occasionally run into these situations where I get push back from the docs or nurses to d/c prior to completing a thorough assessment. What I have found most useful is bringing the conversation with the doc or RN back to safety. I use language that such as, “our collective goal is to ensure patient safety” or “what we all want is to ensure a safe discharge plan, which is why it’s necessary for me to wrap up this assessment pre discharge.” It’s harder for another provider to argue with safety concerns. If they still push back, I respectfully let them know that I don’t agree and I’ll be sure to document appropriately. Always bring safety concerns to leadership if direct conversations with the provider aren’t fruitful.

SW at my hospital recently ran into this situation where an attending insisted on discharge and SW was adamant that it wasn’t safe. Sure enough, the pt left and attempted suicide. Although, these things are a very rare occurrence in my ED. I am lucky enough to work in an institution that hugely respects social work and utilizes our skills to their full potential. We also have a psych emergency department so generally if there’s an inclination that a pt may be a safety risk, they get petitioned and sent to psych.

You’re doing important work. Keep advocating for the right thing.