Keywords

documentation, risks, suicide, treatment, triage

 

Authors

  1. Bennett, Stacey RN, BSW
  2. Daly, James RN, C
  3. Kirkwood, John BA, RN, C
  4. McKain, Cathy RN, C
  5. Swope, Jolynne BA

Abstract

Suicidality is an ever-rising societal issue in today's world. Thousands of people seek safety and treatment for their self-injurious thoughts and behaviors every year in the United States. As a result, emergency departments are being bombarded with patients with suicidal ideation or suicide attempts. Once in the emergency department, these patients are subject to being labeled a "psychiatric patient," and therefore do not receive the same standard of care a medically compromised patient would. In an effort to provide appropriate treatment for these patients, many changes are called for, including educating emergency department nurses in identifying patients who are at highest risk, developing a system of triaging these patients within an appropriate length of time, and providing a safe environment while promptly making arrangment for evaluation and transfer to the proper level of treatment.