Citation

Mays D. Psychiatr. Ann. 2004; 34(5): 366-372.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Healio)

DOI

10.3928/0048-5713-20040501-17

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

All mental healthcare professionals are expected to assess for the risk of suicide in their patients and take action to prevent suicide from occurring. By relying exclusively on the results of a clinical interview, and specifically on the presence of suicidal ideation, clinicians may be falsely assured that suicide is not an issue with their patients. A model of "structured professional judgment" may help clinicians remain more alert to the possibility of suicide in a given patient, and may ultimately improve suicide prevention outcomes. A sample scheme, Awareness-Assessment-Action, provides one model of structured professional judgment, as well as a logical template for documenting risk assessment and the subsequent suicide risk-reduction plan.

Language: en

Keywords

human; standard; mental health; suicide; interview; empathy; risk assessment; prediction; accuracy; alexithymia; risk factor; review; mental disease; symptomatology; clinical practice; psychiatrist; medicolegal aspect; fluoxetine; imipramine; health survey; mental patient; malpractice; doctor patient relation; demography; chlorpromazine; denial; risk reduction; probability