WEEK 8 ASSIGNMENT 1: SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT

WEEK 8 ASSIGNMENT 1: SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT

Value: 100 points

Due: Day 7

Grading Category: Writing Assignment

Instructions

For this assignment, you will watch the video and complete a Suicide Risk Assessment.

Psychiatric Interviews for Teaching: Self-Harm (11:57 minutes)

Psychiatric Interviews for Teaching: Self-Harm Video Transcript

Please refer to the Grading Rubric for details on how this activity will be graded.

Introduction

Suicide risk assessment is one of the most critical components of psychiatric evaluation, requiring a balance of clinical competence, empathy, and ethical sensitivity. As mental health professionals, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) play a vital role in identifying, assessing, and managing individuals experiencing suicidal ideation or self-harm behaviors. The Psychiatric Interviews for Teaching: Self-Harm video provides a realistic and instructive scenario that highlights key elements of conducting a comprehensive and compassionate suicide risk assessment.

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This assignment aims to apply the knowledge gained from the video to evaluate a patient’s risk of self-harm using a structured and evidence-based framework. The assessment will focus on identifying warning signs, assessing risk and protective factors, and formulating an appropriate level of care and safety plan. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2022) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2023), effective suicide risk assessment involves evaluating the patient’s intent, plan, means, previous attempts, mental status, and psychosocial supports. Through this process, the clinician gathers essential data to determine the immediacy and severity of risk, which informs both clinical decision-making and crisis intervention strategies.

In completing this activity, students are expected to demonstrate professional judgment, integrate theoretical knowledge with clinical reasoning, and apply evidence-based tools such as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) or the SAFE-T (Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage) model. The goal is not only to assess risk but also to develop a compassionate therapeutic alliance that encourages honesty, safety, and hope.

By synthesizing insights from the video, scholarly research, and standardized assessment frameworks, this assignment reinforces the PMHNP’s responsibility to recognize and respond to suicidal risk effectively. Ultimately, it emphasizes the ethical imperative of early intervention and the promotion of safety, dignity, and recovery in mental health care.

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References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of patients with suicidal behaviors. APA Publishing.

• Posner, K., Brown, G. K., Stanley, B., Brent, D. A., Yershova, K. V., Oquendo, M. A., … & Mann, J. J. (2011). The Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale: Initial validity and internal consistency findings from three multisite studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(12), 1266–1277.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2023). SAFE-T: Suicide assessment five-step evaluation and triage. https://www.samhsa.gov/resource-search/ebp/SAFE-T