Universal Adolescent Suicide Screening in a Pediatric Urgent Care Center

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe the implementation of a 2-question suicide screening tool in a pediatric urgent care center to identify patients at risk of suicide. Adolescents presenting during a 12-month period completed the screening tool. Positive response to either question triggered further social work evaluation, including a Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Of 4,786 patients screened, 95 (2%) responded positively. Of these, 75 (79%) also had a positive C-SSRS. Only 7 (7%) had chief complaints related to mental health. A group of 78 patients (82%) were discharged with outpatient mental health referral, and 10 (10%) were admitted to a psychiatric facility. Universal adolescent suicide screening in an acute care setting did not significantly affect flow in our pediatric urgent care and was able to detect patients at risk of suicide, especially those with chief complaints unrelated to mental health.

Keywords:

• adolescents
• mental health
• pediatric urgent care
• suicide
• suicide screening
• youth

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Aimy Patel

Aimy Patel, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care, and University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Catherine Watts

Catherine Watts, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care and University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Sheri Shiddell

Sheri Shiddell, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Karla Couch

Karla Couch, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Amber M. Smith

Amber M. Smith, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Michael J. Moran

Michael J. Moran, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care and University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Gregory P. Conners

Gregory P. Conners, Children’s Mercy Hospital Northland Urgent Care and University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.