Suicide Risk Assessment for Nurses: An Evidence-Based Guide to Screening, Safety Planning, and Clinical Documentation by Theo Seki

Suicide Risk Assessment for Nurses An Evidence-Based Guide to Screening, Safety Planning, and Clinical Documentation Suicide claims over 49,000 lives annually in the United States, and research consistently demonstrates that most individuals who die by suicide have contact with healthcare providers in the months before their deaths. Nurses working across emergency departments, medical-surgical units, psychiatric facilities, primary care clinics, schools, and correctional settings encounter patients at risk for suicide daily. Yet many nurses report feeling inadequately prepared to assess suicide risk, develop safety plans, or document their clinical reasoning effectively. This evidence-based clinical guide bridges that gap by providing validated screening protocols, step-by-step intervention guidance, and comprehensive documentation templates that translate current research into practical bedside application. The content begins with foundational knowledge of risk factors, warning signs, and regulatory requirements including Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals and Zero Suicide framework implementation. Readers learn to administer and interpret validated screening instruments including the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ), Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and PHQ-9 Item 9 protocols with clear guidance for positive screen response. Moving beyond screening, the text addresses comprehensive risk assessment using the SAFE-T framework, clinical interviewing techniques for patients who minimize or deny risk, and risk formulation methods that support sound clinical decision-making. Read more