Authors

Marta Otaduy Zubia

Position

Enfermera. Máster en Salud Pública. Hospital de la Princesa (Madrid).

Contact address

C/ General Pardiñas, 99, 3ºC. 28006 Madrid

Contact email: MARTAZUBIA@terra.es

Abstract

The impact that suicide has on professionals, families and society stresses the need to ensure that in the hospital setting, which is our area of competence, risk situations and patients with suicidal tendencies receive a specific approach.
This article aims to present a suicide risk prevention protocol in the hospital setting for patients who present autolytic ideas admitted in the Psychiatric Brief Hospitalization Unit and patients admitted to different units who also present a risk of suicide.
The protocol not only includes suicide risk signs and symptoms, but also places emphasis on suicide risk assessment as a specific therapeutic approach and general and specific measures that need to be taken in these cases.
Following the implementation of this protocol no suicides or attempted suicides occurred. It was demonstrated that distress and fear are decreased, with nursing professionals becoming key players in the team, given that they are the ones who, most frequently, detect and take the initiative to implement the necessary care.

Keywords:

suicide; prevention; risk; autolysis; hospitalization; protocol; psychiatry

Versión en Español

Título:

Protocolo de prevención del suicidio en el ámbito hospitalario