Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal
Volume 10, Issue 4 , Pages 161-163, November 2007

Assessing the risk of suicide at triage

  • Natisha Sands, RPN, RN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationTel.: +61 3 83440776; fax: +61 3 93474172.

Course Coordinator, Mental Health Nursing, The School of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, 1/723 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia

Received 23 August 2007; accepted 24 August 2007.

Summary 

Mental health related presentations to Australian emergency departments are steadily increasing. There is a growing incidence of depression, substance abuse, and other mental illnesses in the Australian population. Mental health problems will contribute 15% of the total world disease burden by 2020. Triage nurses are pivotal to the early detection and management of mental health problems.

The rapid assessment of mental health presentations at triage requires skill, knowledge, experience and confidence. One of the more complex aspects of triage is suicide risk assessment.

Keywords: Suicide risk, Emergency triage, Emergency nursing, Mental health triage

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PII: S1574-6267(07)00110-3

doi:10.1016/j.aenj.2007.08.004

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal
Volume 10, Issue 4 , Pages 161-163, November 2007

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