Boudreaux et al reported the Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE) for evaluating a patient in the Emergency Department. One component is a personal safety plan for a patient who may be at risk for suicide. The authors are from multiple institutions in the United States and NIH.
Patient selection: at risk for suicide
Component of Safety Plan
Example
making home safer
remove firearms, remove unnecessary medications
recognizing signs or triggers that may precede thoughts of suicide
social withdrawal, anger, feeling worthless, substance abuse
identifying healthy ways to feel better
exercise, listen to music, meditate, pray
identifying things that are important to me
family, friends, beliefs
identifying people who you can count on for healthy support when feeling bad
phone numbers and contact information
knowing how to get help in a crisis
phone numbers and crisis hotlines
It is also important to take any medications and to follow any instructions from the mental health provider.
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