The Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert that highlights the importance of identifying and treating patients with suicidal thoughts.
The Joint Commission recommends that health care facilities educate staff members about identifying and responding to patients with suicidal ideation. Individuals and facilities seeking education related to this topic can access the ASRT Compliance Suite module titled Preventing Inpatient Suicide. The module provides information about how to recognize and prevent inpatient suicide, environmental risk factors, the prevalence of suicide in health care environments, causes of inpatient suicide and how to find help in emergencies.
The module is free for ASRT members and is available for $10 for individual nonmembers.
In addition to the Preventing Inpatient Suicide module, the ASRT Compliance Suite features 29 other modules that highlight workplace safety, patient safety, standards, regulations, infection control and providing care for all patient populations.
The modules are applicable to all health care professionals.