Citation

Betz ME, Arias SA, Miller MC, Barber C, Espinola JA, Sullivan AF, Manton AP, Miller IW, Camargo CA, Boudreaux ED. Psychiatr. Serv. 2015; 66(6): 625-631.

Affiliation

Dr. Betz is with the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (e-mail: marian.betz@ucdenver.edu ). Dr. Arias and Dr. Ivan Miller are with the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Butler Hospital and Brown University Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Matthew Miller and Ms. Barber are with the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Ms. Espinola, Ms. Sullivan, and Dr. Camargo are with the Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. Dr. Manton is with the Centers for Behavioral Health, Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, Massachusetts. Dr. Boudreaux is with the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201400244

PMID

25726978

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The study examined changes in self-reported attitudes and practices related to suicide risk assessment among providers at emergency departments (EDs) during a three-phase quasi-experimental trial involving implementation of ED protocols for suicidal patients.

METHODS: A total of 1,289 of 1,828 (71% response rate) eligible providers at eight EDs completed a voluntary, anonymous survey at baseline, after introduction of universal suicide screening, and after introduction of suicide prevention resources (nurses) and a secondary risk assessment tool (physicians).

RESULTS: Among participants, the median age was 40 years old, 64% were female, and there were no demographic differences across study phases; 68% were nurses, and 32% were attending physicians. Between phase 1 and phase 3, increasing proportions of nurses reported screening for suicide (36% and 95%, respectively, p<.001) and increasing proportions of physicians reported further assessment of suicide risk (63% and 80%, respectively, p<.01). Although increasing proportions of providers said universal screening would result in more psychiatric consultations, decreasing proportions said it would slow down clinical care. Increasing proportions of nurses reported often or almost always asking suicidal patients about firearm access (18%-69%, depending on the case), although these numbers remained low relative to ideal practice. Between 35% and 87% of physicians asked about firearms, depending on the case, and these percentages did not change significantly over the study phases.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the feasibility of implementing universal screening for suicide in EDs, assuming adequate resources, but providers should be educated to ask suicidal patients about firearm access.

Language: en