Assessing your patient for hopelessness

1. Assessing your patient for hopelessness

2. Hopelessness & Suicide • Suicide has ranked in the top five most frequently reported events to The Joint Commission since 1995. • These suicides occurred in non-behavioral health units of general hospital and emergency department of general hospital.

3. Hopelessness & Suicide • In order to effectively reduce the risk of suicide in the medical/surgical and emergency department settings, organizations need to identify patients at risk of suicide and then intervene to prevent suicide in those patients as at risk.

4. The hopelessness assessment • The hopelessness assessment by SF Yip and Yin B Cheung has 4 components that identify people with suicide tendencies and depression. • You may defer the assessment by answering “Y” in the deferred query, but you must document a reason(i.e. confusion, comfort care, intoxicated).

5. The hopelessness assessment During the adult admission process the hopelessness assessment will be completed. A score or 11 or greater is a strong predictor of suicide/depression. If the score is 11 or greater ask ”Do you have thoughts of ending your life?”

6. The hopelessness assessment If the patient answers YES to “do you have thoughts of ending your life” contact their primary care provider and report the assessment. Implement safety interventions if you feel the patient is in imminent danger (i.e. use camera, sitter, suicide risk room set up).

7. The hopelessness assessment • Questions? Contact Dennise Stannard, Director, Med-Surg and BirthPlace