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Finally, mitigate risk by properly documenting your interviews with patients. Per the SAFE-T framework, "document your risk assessment, rationale, intervention, and follow-up."

Remember to: write legibly; add your notes in real time (by the end of your shift); only use approved abbreviations; do not alter previous content, including dates and times; if you add new content, mark it with the date and time; fully explain your thought process, your decisions, and your contact with family and caregivers; and if you consulted with other providers in arriving at your decisions, include the time you spoke with them, their names, and their opinions on the case.

Every patient's situation is different, but the better your familiarity with warning signs, communication techniques, screening toolkits, referrals, and brief interventions the better you will recognize suicide and substance abuse risk in the E.D. Thanks and best of luck as you put these techniques into practice with your patients!