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The assessment and management of the suicidal patient
J Fawcett1, D C Clark, W A Scheftner
1Department of Psychiatry, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
Abstract:
This chapter will be oriented toward the problem faced by the clinician in attempting to prevent suicide in patients under treatment. It will focus on the clinician's difficult task of assessing suicide potential and initiating interventions to prevent suicide in patients at high risk. Specifically, the state of the art in identifying the suicidal patient will be reviewed, and various interventions available to the clinician will be discussed.
Insights
Clinicians face challenges in preventing suicide among patients. This chapter reviews methods for assessing suicide risk and discusses interventions for high-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Suicide prevention is a critical clinical challenge.
- Identifying patients at high risk for suicide requires specialized assessment skills.
- Effective interventions are crucial for managing suicidal ideation and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state of the art in identifying suicidal patients.
- To discuss available interventions for clinicians to prevent suicide.
- To guide clinicians in assessing and managing suicide risk in treated patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of suicide risk assessment tools and techniques.
- Discussion of evidence-based interventions for suicide prevention.
- Analysis of clinical challenges in managing high-risk patients.
Main Results:
- Current methods for identifying suicidal patients are reviewed.
- Various clinical interventions for suicide prevention are discussed.
- The complexities of assessing and managing suicide risk are highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Accurate suicide risk assessment is fundamental for effective prevention.
- A range of interventions can be employed by clinicians to mitigate suicide risk.
- Ongoing clinical vigilance and appropriate intervention are key to patient safety.