PSYCH NURS 451 TEST ONE
Questions And Answers
medical illness
•History of childhood abuse
•Family history of suicide
•Recent lack of social support (isolation)
•Unemployment
•Recent stressful life event (e.g. death, other loss)
•Hopelessness
•Panic attacks
•Feeling of Shame or humiliation
•Impulsivity
•Aggressiveness
•Loss of cognitive function
•Access to firearms
•Substance abuse
•Impending incarceration
•Sexual orientation issues
warning signs of suicide - correct answer •Ideation
•Substance Abuse
•Purposelessness
•Anxiety
•Trapped
,•Hopelessness
•Withdrawn
•Anger
•Recklessness
•Mood changes
protective factors for suicide - correct answer •Sense of responsibility to family
•Pregnancy
•Religious beliefs
•Satisfaction with life
•Positive social support
•Access to health care
•Effective coping skills
•Effective problem-solving skills
•Intact reality testing
assessment for suicide - correct answer •1. Observe and Listen
•2. Ask specifically about thoughts of SI
•3. Ask about a PLAN
•4. Assess the LETHALITY
•5. Assess the ACCESSIBILITY
•6. Assess the patient's INTENT
•7. Contract for SAFETY
assessment for suicide: observe and listen - correct answer -Overt statements
-Covert statements
,-Changes in behavior
-If there is ANY concern at all ASK
-When caring for pts in psychiatric setting we assess SI every 8 hours and as needed
-You cannot "cause" someone to commit suicide or have suicidal thoughts by asking them if
they have been experiencing them
overt statements (red flag) - correct answer •"I can't take it anymore."
•"Life isn't worth living anymore."
•"I wish I were dead."
•"Everyone would be better off if I died."
covert statements - correct answer •"It's okay, now. Soon everything will be fine."
•"Things will never work out."
•"I won't be a problem much longer."
•"Nothing feels good to me anymore and probably never will."
behaviors that may indicate suicide - correct answer •Sudden brightening of mood with more
energy
•Giving away possessions
•Organizing financial affairs
•Talking about their funeral
•Loss of interest in friends, organizations, and activities
•Past attempts, aborted attempts, rehearsals (tying noose, loading gun) vs. non-suicidal self
injurious actions
assessment for suicide: thoughts of SI - correct answer Ask questions such as.....
, •I know many people who struggle with ....often have thoughts of hurting themselves or ending
their life. To what extent have you had these types of thoughts.....
•I am concerned because I noticed you.... or I heard you say..... or I know you have been going
through a very hard time and I care about you....are you having thoughts of hurting yourself?
•It is very common when going through...that thoughts of hurting yourself or ending your life
can enter your mind, have you....
-Have you ever felt that life is not worth living?
-Have you been thinking about death recently?
-Did you ever think about suicide?
-frequency, intensity and duration of SI-current, last 24 hours, etc.
assessment for suicide: plan - correct answer -Have you thought out how you would do this?
-What type of thoughts have you had about how you would carry this out?
•Some may have a "passive" death wish:
-"I just don't want to be here."
-"I wish I could just go to sleep and not wake up."
•If the patient states this, always ask the patient, "If these feelings were to become stronger,
would you be willing to talk to someone about these thoughts."
assessment for suicide: lethality - correct answer •Using a gun
•Jumping off a high place
•Hanging oneself
•Poisoning with carbon monoxide
•Staging a car crash
•Soft Methods (lower-risk)
-Slashing one's wrist
-Inhaling gas
Questions And Answers
medical illness
•History of childhood abuse
•Family history of suicide
•Recent lack of social support (isolation)
•Unemployment
•Recent stressful life event (e.g. death, other loss)
•Hopelessness
•Panic attacks
•Feeling of Shame or humiliation
•Impulsivity
•Aggressiveness
•Loss of cognitive function
•Access to firearms
•Substance abuse
•Impending incarceration
•Sexual orientation issues
warning signs of suicide - correct answer •Ideation
•Substance Abuse
•Purposelessness
•Anxiety
•Trapped
,•Hopelessness
•Withdrawn
•Anger
•Recklessness
•Mood changes
protective factors for suicide - correct answer •Sense of responsibility to family
•Pregnancy
•Religious beliefs
•Satisfaction with life
•Positive social support
•Access to health care
•Effective coping skills
•Effective problem-solving skills
•Intact reality testing
assessment for suicide - correct answer •1. Observe and Listen
•2. Ask specifically about thoughts of SI
•3. Ask about a PLAN
•4. Assess the LETHALITY
•5. Assess the ACCESSIBILITY
•6. Assess the patient's INTENT
•7. Contract for SAFETY
assessment for suicide: observe and listen - correct answer -Overt statements
-Covert statements
,-Changes in behavior
-If there is ANY concern at all ASK
-When caring for pts in psychiatric setting we assess SI every 8 hours and as needed
-You cannot "cause" someone to commit suicide or have suicidal thoughts by asking them if
they have been experiencing them
overt statements (red flag) - correct answer •"I can't take it anymore."
•"Life isn't worth living anymore."
•"I wish I were dead."
•"Everyone would be better off if I died."
covert statements - correct answer •"It's okay, now. Soon everything will be fine."
•"Things will never work out."
•"I won't be a problem much longer."
•"Nothing feels good to me anymore and probably never will."
behaviors that may indicate suicide - correct answer •Sudden brightening of mood with more
energy
•Giving away possessions
•Organizing financial affairs
•Talking about their funeral
•Loss of interest in friends, organizations, and activities
•Past attempts, aborted attempts, rehearsals (tying noose, loading gun) vs. non-suicidal self
injurious actions
assessment for suicide: thoughts of SI - correct answer Ask questions such as.....
, •I know many people who struggle with ....often have thoughts of hurting themselves or ending
their life. To what extent have you had these types of thoughts.....
•I am concerned because I noticed you.... or I heard you say..... or I know you have been going
through a very hard time and I care about you....are you having thoughts of hurting yourself?
•It is very common when going through...that thoughts of hurting yourself or ending your life
can enter your mind, have you....
-Have you ever felt that life is not worth living?
-Have you been thinking about death recently?
-Did you ever think about suicide?
-frequency, intensity and duration of SI-current, last 24 hours, etc.
assessment for suicide: plan - correct answer -Have you thought out how you would do this?
-What type of thoughts have you had about how you would carry this out?
•Some may have a "passive" death wish:
-"I just don't want to be here."
-"I wish I could just go to sleep and not wake up."
•If the patient states this, always ask the patient, "If these feelings were to become stronger,
would you be willing to talk to someone about these thoughts."
assessment for suicide: lethality - correct answer •Using a gun
•Jumping off a high place
•Hanging oneself
•Poisoning with carbon monoxide
•Staging a car crash
•Soft Methods (lower-risk)
-Slashing one's wrist
-Inhaling gas
