No definitive diagnostic studies indicate suicidal ideation. Simple questions to assess suicidal ideation usually lead to the diagnosis. No scale has been adopted as standard among care providers or facilities; and no scale provides a definitive prediction of suicide. The assessment of suicide risk is extremely important and an individualized process. When assessing risk, the caregiver must consider the crisis that precipitated the suicidal thoughts or event, the patient's emotional state, and the presence or absence of a supportive home environment. Tools that have been described to assess for suicide risk include:
The SAD PERSONS scale (Patterson et al 1983)—this is one of the most frequently used scales (and one of the easiest to use in an acute care setting). The scale was first developed to aid medical students in determining suicide risk. It uses 10 different assessment factors and gives 1 point for each factor present. The following criteria are used:
S—Sex: 1 if male; 0 if female; (more females attempt, more males succeed)
A—Age: 1 if younger than 20 or older than 44 years
D—Depression: 1 if depression is present
P—Previous attempt: 1 if present
E—Ethanol abuse: 1 if present
R—Rational thinking loss: 1 if present
S—Social supports lacking or lost: 1 if present
O—Organized plan: 1 if plan is made and lethal
N—No significant other: 1 if divorced, widowed, separated, or single
S—Sickness: 1 if chronic, debilitating, and severe
When scoring with the SAD PERSONS scale, the following guidelines are used (Patterson et al 1983):
0 to 2 points: send the patient home with a follow-up plan
3 to 4 points: ensure close follow-up; consider hospitalization
5 to 6 points: strongly consider hospitalization
7 to 10 points: hospitalize or commit voluntarily or involuntarily
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) (The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene 2013)—a questionnaire used for suicide assessment
Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (Stern et al 2008)—measures a patient's overall level of psychosocial functioning, including the danger of self-harm. This scale takes a practical view of the patient's mental health and can be used over time to monitor progress.
Some concurrent diagnostic medical tests may help to indicate attempted suicide by identifying abnormalities or related conditions (Colucciello 2009):
Complete blood count—to rule out infection or other medical disorders
Electrolyte panel—to detect possible acid-base abnormalities in certain ingestions such as salicylate or methanol toxicity
Serum alcohol level—to determine possibility of intoxication
Serum and urine toxicology screens—to screen for drug use and ingestion or injection of toxins
Thyroid function tests—to screen for thyroid abnormalities
Urinalysis—to rule out urologic disorders and other medical conditions
Urine pregnancy test for females of childbearing age
ECG—to screen for cardiac disorders. This is an especially useful test if a cyclic antidepressant overdose is suspected. Rhythms detected may include:
QRS complex and QT interval prolongation
Conduction defects
Sinus tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular dysrhythmias
Interventions
If a suicide has been completed, there are, of course, no effective acute interventions for the patient; therefore, interventions are divided into those actions necessary to treat a patient who has attempted suicide and those actions used to protect a patient with suicidal ideation to prevent a potential suicide.
If a patient has made a serious suicide attempt and presents with life-threatening injuries, the priority of care is medical stabilization. Patients in the hospital setting should be screened for suicidal ideation. The primary focus of care for the patient presenting with suicidal ideation is twofold: