Suicide Assessment and Prevention Measures for Homecare Agencies
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jessica Naber
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the 10th leading cause of death in the United States of America in 2017 was suicide, with over 47,000 lives lost. Suicide is often a result of an issue that was endured years ago, so the client may not be in crisis mode prior to a suicide attempt.Self-reported thoughts of suicide are not reliable as a stand-alone tool, this was demonstrated in a retrospective chart review conducted on 157 patients that died by suicide between 1981 and 2014. Sixty-seven percent of these patients denied any thoughts of suicidal ideation 30 days before their suicides (Berman, 2018).
Patient assessments for suicided risk need to be conducted more frequently and include assessment of the most common risk factors for suicide, in addition to patient self-reported desire or denial of suicidal ideation. It is critical for healthcare providers to be aware of the five most common risk factors of suicide found in the retrospective chart review. Frequent assessments allow for early referrals to mental health professionals, which must be the priority.
Fall Scholars Week 2019 Event
Evidence Based Best Practices in Clinical Healthcare
Suicide Assessment and Prevention Measures for Homecare Agencies
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the 10th leading cause of death in the United States of America in 2017 was suicide, with over 47,000 lives lost. Suicide is often a result of an issue that was endured years ago, so the client may not be in crisis mode prior to a suicide attempt.Self-reported thoughts of suicide are not reliable as a stand-alone tool, this was demonstrated in a retrospective chart review conducted on 157 patients that died by suicide between 1981 and 2014. Sixty-seven percent of these patients denied any thoughts of suicidal ideation 30 days before their suicides (Berman, 2018).
Patient assessments for suicided risk need to be conducted more frequently and include assessment of the most common risk factors for suicide, in addition to patient self-reported desire or denial of suicidal ideation. It is critical for healthcare providers to be aware of the five most common risk factors of suicide found in the retrospective chart review. Frequent assessments allow for early referrals to mental health professionals, which must be the priority.