[Suicide re-attempt risk evaluation scale: a trial in a critical care center without an exclusive duty psychiatrist].

ABSTRACT

There is a general consensus that patients who attempt suicide require intervention for psychological as well as physical problems. However, among the institutions accepting patients who attempt suicide, there are few institutions employing a full-time psychiatrist in the emergency department. Therefore, it is difficult to conduct a suicide re-attempt risk evaluation in the presence of a psychiatric specialist. We developed a suicide re-attempt risk evaluation scale to be used by non-professional staff. We asked the medical staff that cared for patients who had attempted suicide to record all the evaluation items in the patient's medical record. We utilized an interview method and highlighted the types of answers that needed special attention. When there were two or more answers that needed special attention, we defined the patient as high risk. The number of days of hospitalization did not change as a result of the use of the suicide re-attempt risk estimate scale; however, the quantity of medical records addressing suicide intention and the rate of psychiatric intervention significantly increased. It is unclear whether this score directly led to the prevention of repeat suicide attempts. However, it is notable that use of the scale has led to a change in the behavior of medical staff by mandating a fixed-format risk evaluation.