suicide w2 Flashcards
risk factor – condition that may increase individuals’ risk for suicide. May be modifiable or non-modifiable. Biological, psychological, or social factors.
protective factor – factors that may reduce the risk for suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, or death by suicide
warning sign – behavioral or emotional clues or changes that may indicate a person is contemplating suicide or at risk for suicide
suicidal ideation – thinking about death, including the wish to be dead, considering methods of accomplishing death, formulating plans to carry out the act
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suicidal behaviors – acts associated with suicidal intent
suicide attempt – engaging in potentially injurious behavior with the intention of death
suicide attempt interrupted by self or other
suicide attempt interrupted by other – person takes steps to injure but is stopped by another person prior to fatal injury occurring
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suicide/death by suicide – deaths caused by self-directed injurious behavior with the intent to die as a result of the behavior
cluster suicides or suicide contagion – suicides occur closer together than normally would be expected in a given community. Increases when:
- stories about suicide increase
- story reported at length
- story placed on front page
- person broadly known and story spreads
- headline is dramatic
suicide survivors – circle of survivors of a person who has died by suicide
postvention – providing mental healthcare and support to survivors or family/friends (if person dies by suicide)
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warning signs
- expression of hopelessness or worthlessness
- talking about being a burden
- preoccupation with death, recklessness
- talking about feeling trapped or unbearable pain
- increased substance use
- anger, irritability, resentment
- isolation from family or friends
- extreme mood swings
- increased anxiety
- sudden uplift in mood – with out reason (could feel better b/c they have decided to die by suicide)
- sleeping too much/little
- giving away prized possessions
- looking for a way to access lethal means – making plans
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environmental safety
- search pt and assess belongings for harmful objects
- removal any potential lethal objects and mitigate and potential ligature risk
o materials for hanging – clothes, no shoelaces
o wear hospital gown
o no razors
o no perfume bottles
o no mirrors
o no meds from home
- lock windows
- lock bed in low position
- use plastic utensils, disposable food trays
- dispose tray and implements outside pt room
- no private rooms, always keep door open
- jump proof and hang proof bathrooms
- lock doors to non-pt areas and empty pt rooms
- continuous monitoring for potentially harmful objects – ex: gifts brought in by visitors
treatment and management: safety #1
- re-assessment following identified suicide risk
- re-screen if there is a change in patient condition
- safety planning intervention for all pts with identified risk
- sitter – inform them of suicide risk and to be vigilant, observe pt in bathroom
- hand-off communication between care providers
- rounding for safety at regular intervals
- inform all unit staff of pts risk
- maintain RN hourly rounding even if the pt has a sitter
- place pt close to nursing station
- implement suicide precautions and elopement precautions per hospital policy
- monitor medication ingestion and cheeking
- teach coping and problem solving skills
- assess access to lethal means at home before d/c
- involve social support persons throughout hospitalization
- provide community resources
