Suicide Assessment Quiz: How High Is The Risk?

1. True or False: Patients who talk about suicide are less likely to attempt it.

True

False

2. Environmental safety measures for hospitalized suicidal patients include removing:

All furniture

Potential ligatures and harmful objects

All personal items

Windows and doors

3. Which therapeutic approach helps build alliance with a suicidal patient?

Judgmental attitude

Genuine empathy and validation

Minimizing their concerns

Forcing them to make promises

4. A patient with chronic pain and depression is at higher risk for suicide due to:

Physical disability alone

Depression alone

The combined burden of pain and mood disorder

Age-related factors

5. True or False: Suicide risk assessment should only be performed once at admission.

True

False

6. The most lethal means of suicide in the United States is:

Overdose

Firearms

Poisoning

Hanging

7. Which factor is associated with increased suicide risk in older adults?

Retirement

Loss and bereavement

Reduced mobility

Fixed income

8. A patient states they have a plan to use medication to end their life. The nurse should:

Document and continue monitoring

Implement suicide precautions immediately

Inform the patient this is not serious

Wait to see if they mention it again

9. Which intervention is most appropriate after assessing high suicide risk?

Discharge with follow-up appointment

One-to-one observation and safety planning

Routine psychiatric consultation only

Educate family and send home

10. A patient with bipolar disorder in a manic episode has increased suicide risk because:

Mania causes mood stability

Impulsivity and poor judgment accompany manic states

Medication compliance improves during mania

Social support increases

11. Which of the following is the most significant risk factor for suicide completion?

Previous suicide attempt

Recent job loss

Social isolation

Chronic medical illness

12. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) assesses:

Only completed suicide attempts

Ideation, behavior, and intensity

Family history only

Past psychiatric diagnoses

13. Which is a warning sign of imminent suicide risk?

Giving away possessions

Increased irritability

Withdrawing from activities

All of the above

14. A patient in crisis with a specific suicide plan and access to means should be:

Sent home with outpatient follow-up

Hospitalized immediately

Given crisis hotline numbers

Referred to their primary care physician

15. Which protective factor most strongly reduces suicide risk?

High income level

Strong social connection and support

Advanced education

Stable employment

16. A patient admits to passive suicidal ideation without a plan. How should this be classified?

Low risk, no intervention needed

Moderate risk requiring monitoring

High risk requiring immediate intervention

Not clinically significant

17. Which statement about suicide risk assessment is accurate?

Asking about suicide increases suicidal ideation

Direct questioning is essential to assess risk

Only psychiatrists should assess suicide risk

Suicide risk remains constant over time

18. A patient with major depression and substance abuse presents increased risk. This is an example of:

Comorbidity

Psychosis

Anhedonia

Rumination

19. Which demographic group has the highest suicide completion rate in the United States?

Females aged 15-24

Males aged 45-64

Males aged 85 and older

Females aged 35-44

20. A patient states, 'I won't be a burden much longer.' What is the nurse's best response?

Reassure them that they are valued

Ask directly about suicidal ideation

Document and continue routine care

Notify family immediately

Suicide Assessment Quiz: How High Is the Risk?