intermediatesuicide assessmentColumbia Suicide Severity Rating ScaleC-SSRSsafety planningrisk stratification
A 32-year-old man presents for a follow-up appointment at an outpatient psychiatric clinic. He has a history of major depressive disorder and was started on bupropion 150 mg daily 4 weeks ago. He reports his mood has not improved and discloses that over the past week he has been thinking it would be better if he were dead. When the PMHNP administers the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the patient endorses wish to be dead and nonspecific active suicidal thoughts (thinking about wanting to kill himself without a specific plan). He denies any specific plan, intent, or preparatory behaviors. He denies prior suicide attempts. He identifies his 6-year-old daughter as a strong reason for living and states he would not act on these thoughts. His C-SSRS lifetime screen is negative for prior attempts. He has no access to firearms, lives with his wife, and is willing to engage in safety planning.