Suicide is a serious public health problem. Suicide continues to be a leading cause of death for young adults. Even with emphasis on prevention, however, about one million people die by suicide every year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Many patients who have attempted suicide suffer from mental illness. It has become very evident that psychiatric illness has become a significant contributing factor in suicide attempts. This course will review assessing patient’s suicide risk and interventions to ensure safety.
Learning Objectives Taking care of Suicidal Patients:
- Discuss how to assess patient’s suicidal intentions using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Discuss what happens when a suicidal patient is placed on a “5150” psychiatric hold.
- Discuss possible injuries of patients who attempted suicide
- Discuss the mental state of patients who attempt suicide.
- Describe how nurses care for patients post suicide attempt