title: The safe treatment of the suicidal patient in an adult inpatient setting: a proactive preventive approach.
abstract: This paper focuses on the work of an inpatient service in an acute care safety net hospital in the prevention of suicide on its inpatient service and during the high-risk period post discharge. The strategy utilized a comprehensive proactive systems approach to the suicidal patient including: a formalized suicide assessment jointly done by medical and nursing staff, accurate diagnosis and best practice treatment, a flexible nursing observation policy, groups on inpatient units focused on suicide and key risk factors and triggers, and a communication tool to the next level of care that describes the strategies learned by the patient to deal with his or her suicidality. Incidents of self-injurious behaviors and special observation hours were monitored.
authors.affiliation: Elmhurst Hospital Center/Mt Sinai School of Medicine, Elmhurst, New York 11373, USA. ann.sullivan@mssm.edu
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Charles T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bezmen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zapata-Vega
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009519:New York City; D019370:Observation; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000517:prevention & control; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents