Child and Adolescent Suicide Prevention: Role of the APRN in a Quality Improvement Plan for Suicide Risk Screening

Course overview

The assessment of organizational needs for child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric care has been an ongoing focus of research. Current practice gaps exist with respect to the lack of a formalized suicide risk assessment screening process for youth that utilizes an evidence-based tool. A thorough review of the clinical practice guidelines related to suicide risk assessment in youth is a necessary first step for identifying practice gaps and to identify areas of needed improvement. In the following sections, a review of the literature has helped to identify evidence supporting the intervention and utilization of the C-SSRS as an evidence-based tool to formally assess youth at risk of suicide. The strengths and limitations of available research have been considered, including practice implications and implications for future research.