Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
4-28-2026
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Veronica Arredondo
Abstract
Psychiatric providers in outpatient settings often experience inconsistent confidence and incomplete documentation when conducting suicide risk screening, contributing to missed opportunities for early identification of at-risk patients. This quality improvement project addressed the need for standardized suicide risk screening at an urban outpatient psychiatric clinic. The purpose was to evaluate documentation using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Using a pre-post intervention design guided by Lewin's Change Theory and the Donabedian Model of Quality Improvement, a 60-minute training session was delivered to 31 psychiatric providers. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) surveys. Chart audits (N = 1,970) evaluated C-SSRS documentation completion, safety plan documentation for high-risk patients, and timely identification at intake. C-SSRS documentation compliance increased from 37% pre-intervention to 86% post-intervention, χ² (1) = 98.47, p < .001. Safety plan documentation improved from 23% to 78%, and timely identification at intake improved from 31% to 82%. This project demonstrates the value of integrating brief, low-cost provider education into outpatient psychiatric settings. Findings support sustainable strategies to strengthen provider confidence, improve documentation, and enhance suicide risk screening compliance.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Olude, Fadekemi, "Establishing a Standardized Suicide Risk Screening Policy for Psychiatric Providers: Closing Gaps in Provider Accountability and Clinical Documentation" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 319.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/319
