1. Assessment and security protocol for individuals
with suicidal ideation at the University Hospital of
Iceland
Anna María Þórðardóttir, Hrönn Stefánsdóttir, Hulda Hrönn Björgúlfsdóttir, Kristín Rósa Ármannsdóttir
In the spring of 2014 a new protocol was implemented at the Emergency Department (ED) of the
University Hospital of Iceland with the aim to assess and define patient safety in case of
suicidal ideation or suicide attempts.
According to The World Health Organization (WHO) suicide
is the main cause of death (17.6%) among the population of
people age 15-29 in developed countries.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health In Iceland shows that
there were on average 31-37 suicides in Iceland from the
years 2005-2009 and the frequency was highest among the
population of people age 30-59 years old.
At admission at the Emergency Department the
Triage nurse uses the following questions as a
guideline to assess an individual with suicidal
ideation:
Have you ever felt that life was not worth living?
Have you ever had thoughts about wanting to die?
Have you ever had thoughts about self-harm?
Are you thoughts about commiting suicide now?
Do you have a suicidal plan?
Have you tried to harm yourself? If so, how often and when was
the last time?
If the patient has active suicidal thoughts, has
a plan of action or is intoxicated from alcohol /drugs
thenhe is admitted and monitored according to the
protocol
Heimildir:
European Health for All database (HFA-DB) http://www.euro.who.int/en/dataand-evidence/databases/european-
health-for-all-database-hfa-db Sótt 29. apríl 2015.
Sjálfsvíg og vísvitandi sjálfsskaði.
http://www.landlaeknir.is/servlet/file/store93/item24630/Talnabrunnur_Agust_2014.pdf. Sótt 29. apríl 2015.