A new Sentinel Event Alert from the Joint Commission warns health care providers that non-psychiatric patients are committing suicide in a variety of inpatient units.
The alert points out that 25% of suicides reported took place in non-psychiatric settings. Many of the patients who committed suicide had no history of psychiatric problems or suicidal attempts.
Risk factors for these patients include dementia, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, intense acute pain, substance abuse, a poor prognosis or terminal diagnosis.
The alert urges health care providers to be more vigilant about the risk of suicide in these patients and to educate caregivers on warning signs of suicidal attempts.