Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 15-24. Adolescents is a stressful time of transition and when adolescents do not have good coping mechanisms in place, or do not have people they trust to confide in about personal things they may feel that suicide is the only option they have (Edelman, 2014). It is important for the nurse to assess for any warning signs of suicide during the patient interview. If the patient has a history of prior suicidal attempts, feelings of hopelessness or depression, isolation, sleep disturbance, history of suicide in the family, physical or sexual abuse, self-mutilation, eating disorder, risk taking behavior, and access to firearms requires further investigation. The nurse should also assess if the patient is preparing for death, such as giving personal valuables away, or voicing statements of failure, tired of trying, and low self-esteem. Patients with history of anti-depressants, alcohol and substance abuse are more prone to suicide and should be monitored closely (Jarvis, 2016).
