Date of Award
8-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Chair
Dr. Lisa Morgan
Committee Chair School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Committee Member 2
Dr. Lakenya Fortner
Committee Member 2 School
Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
Abstract
This doctoral project aimed to address the inconsistent and inadequate assessment of suicide risk by healthcare professionals in a Rural Community Clinic. Staff members do not comprehensively understand the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale and vary in how they screen patients before the intervention. When we looked at the baseline, we found that only 45% of charts contained suicide risk screening, and C-SSRS was used in only 5% of cases. Some of the main obstacles reported were not properly training staff and keeping patients from sharing their thoughts on this subject.
The main objective of the doctoral project was to test whether C-SSRS training improves the correct detection of suicidal ideation among that group of people. The intervention was based on the Chronic Care Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior, and healthcare providers received a two to three-hour structured class. Providers practiced using the C-SSRS in their regular patient sessions and continued to use it for two weeks after the training.
Following the intervention, there was a notable increase in C-SSRS charting, with 9 out of 10 charts recording its use and 89% of them being properly completed. Both provider confidence in assessing suicide risk and their level of comfort talking about the sensitive issue went up, with 73% and 80% feeling confident and comfortable, respectively. Thanks to the intervention, there were more cases of suicidal ideation found after the intervention, with 40% noted in the charts compared to 30% before the intervention, and three crisis intervention appointments were scheduled. The research showed that more people were diagnosed; however, regular follow-up care requires better attention. It proves that education and adopting useful tools like the C-SSRS make screening for suicide risk more thorough and help provide timely responses to community mental health.
Copyright
LaShunda R. Lewis, 2025
Recommended Citation
Lewis, LaShunda R., "Reducing Suicide Ideation Through Healthcare Provider Training in the Use of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) In A Rural Community Mental Health Clinic" (2025). Doctoral Projects. 279.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dnp_capstone/279