Ligature and/or Suicide Risk Reduction - Inpatient Psychiatric Units - Unobstructed View
Can you please clarify the first recommendation as it relates to the nurses' station ?
Any examples are for illustrative purposes only.
The recommendation states: "Nursing stations with an unobstructed view (so that a patient attempt at self-harm at the nursing station would be easily seen and interrupted) and areas behind self-closing/self-locking doors do not need to be ligature resistant and will not be cited for ligature risks." This refers to what can be seen within the nurses station, not what is being seen from the nurses station. If there is an unobstructed view of everything within a nurses station, then patients should not be able to attempt self-harm at the nurses station since this would be easily seen and interrupted.
This FAQ was also published in the Perspectives® Newsletter, July 2018, Volume 38, Issue 7 - The Official Newsletter of The Joint Commission.
Additional Resource
Suicide Prevention Portal
The recommendation states: "Nursing stations with an unobstructed view (so that a patient attempt at self-harm at the nursing station would be easily seen and interrupted) and areas behind self-closing/self-locking doors do not need to be ligature resistant and will not be cited for ligature risks." This refers to what can be seen within the nurses station, not what is being seen from the nurses station. If there is an unobstructed view of everything within a nurses station, then patients should not be able to attempt self-harm at the nurses station since this would be easily seen and interrupted.
This FAQ was also published in the Perspectives® Newsletter, July 2018, Volume 38, Issue 7 - The Official Newsletter of The Joint Commission.
Additional Resource
Suicide Prevention Portal
Manual:
Hospital and Hospital Clinics
Chapter:
National Patient Safety Goals NPSG
Last reviewed by Standards Interpretation: January 29, 2024
Represents the most recent date that the FAQ was reviewed (e.g. annual review).
First published date: June 27, 2018
This Standards FAQ was first published on this date.
This page was last updated on January 29, 2024
with update notes of: Review only, FAQ is current
Types of changes and an explanation of change type:
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