The Role of Nursing Policy in Standardizing Suicide Risk Screening Across Healthcare Settings

Suicide prevention represents a critical opportunity for nursing practice, policy, and research to advance a more cohesive and proactive model of care. Many individuals who attempt or die by suicide have had recent contact with healthcare services but were not adequately assessed for suicide risk, underscoring the importance of early identification through brief, validated screening tools such as the ASQ and C-SSRS. Implementing universal screening promotes consistent assessment across clinical settings, reducing missed opportunities for intervention in emergency, inpatient, and outpatient care. However, national data reveal substantial variability in screening practices, driven by workflow constraints, limited training, and unclear policy guidance, highlighting the need for greater standardization. As the largest and most patient-facing segment of the healthcare workforce, nurses are uniquely positioned to lead suicide prevention efforts. Through strong nursing leadership, screening protocols can be integrated into routine care, documentation processes streamlined, and clear pathways for escalation and follow-up established. Standardized approaches support both clinicians and patients by supporting shared responsibility for suicide care across healthcare systems while honouring patient autonomy, lived experience, and the complex role that suicidal thoughts may play in coping with psychological pain. Aligning policy, practice, and research is essential to advancing a cohesive, preventative framework that strengthens patient safety and ensures individuals at risk are identified and supported before reaching crisis points.