Social work with suicidal clients: challenges of implementing practice guidelines and standards of care

Practice guidelines and standards of care are detailed models of intervention processes that describe goals, objectives, processes procedures, and interactions. Disciplines other than social work have developed practice guidelines, and it is appropriate for social work to also define standards or guidelines. This article describes an attempt by hospital social work staff to enact social work standards of care for suicidal clients. The difficulties and challenge of developing standards and guidelines are discussed and reasons for the lack of success of the attempt are highlighted.