The nurse is seeing a patient who has been in the clinic eight times in the past 6 months for injuries from an abusive partner. The patient states, "I don't see any way to get away from my partner, and I can't keep going on like this."
What assessment question is most important for the nurse to ask?
a. "Do you have any family in the area that can help?"
b. "Have you thought about hurting yourself or someone else?"
c. "Have you thought about moving to a different city?"
d. "Have you discussed this with anyone else?"
ANS: B
Depression and an increased risk of suicide are common outcomes from individuals experiencing interpersonal violence. It is critical that the nurse specifically assess for the risk of harm to the patient or to others during assessment. Asking if family or friends are available for support is good, but it is more important to assess for the safety concern of suicide or harm to others. It is not helpful to ask if a person who has stated that they don't see a way out has thought of leaving—their comment indicates that they can't see any solution. This situation is a high risk for suicide, or even homicide against the perpetrator.
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