Safety Protocol
The Safety Protocol was developed specifically based on new VA updates to suicide
assessment. If during the course, APNs assessed that patients were a danger to self or others, a
safety protocol was in place. This protocol was developed to enable rapid risk assessment to an
expressed intent for harm. While not intended to be a full suicide/homicide risk assessment, the
Safety Protocol is designed to assess three major risk components to suicidal/homicidal intent.
These include: 1) expressed intent to hurt self or others; 2) has the means and the plan to do so
(the threat is credible); and 3) has a prior history of hurting self or others. A script for the protocol is provided for nurse course leaders to determine the need for further evaluation and for
the possibility of hospitalization (or extending the hospital stay).