Suicide Precautions & Scrubs

elkpark · Mar 16, 2010

I've never worked any place that had that policy. We have always made sure that they had nothing dangerous on them, but there's nothing inherently safer about scrubs than (searched) street clothes. The place I currently work uses color-coded armbands for the different safety levels, but that's the only visible indicator (other than the staff member trailing around after them, that is -- that tends to be pretty much a giveaway :)).

Rhone · Mar 18, 2010

The patients on suicide observation don't have to wear any visual indication at my facility. Our rounds sheet, computerized charting system, and a dry erase board in the nurses' station (not visible to the patients) all show what level of observation our patients are on, and I learn who the patients are, so I don't see any other visual indicator as being necessary.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2010

I can only recall one patient being required to be in special clothing when on suicide precautions, and she was in a hospital gown without ties, and in a quiet room 24/7. She was on camera with a tech watching the screen, also 24/7. She had attempted suicide while hospitalized several times, so monitoring kicked into high gear.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 19, 2010

Only once have I seen a patient on suicide precautions wear a special outfit--even with the 1:1, she had to wear a paper gown because she was trying to kill herself with anything and everything she could get her hands on. So cloth (which could become a potential noose) was out.

BSN_DEC_2006 · Mar 30, 2010

Thanks for the responses. I tried to do a brief literature research regarding this "scrubs" policy that we have for patients on suicide precautions, but i couldn't find anything. We use paper scrubs on every new admit we get, and the patients always complain about them and it seems to make matters worse. I'm trying to get that policy changed at our facility because i hate explaining to them why it's necessary. Plus, it makes our patients visibly stand out among the others. Roughly half of our population would be in blue paper scrubs, and the other half in their street clothes. The doctors have to write an order to d/c the scrubs.

medbeach · Apr 23, 2010

Our behavioral health unit just went back to patient clothing after a few years of using scrubs. I actually think it was safer- less opportunity for patients to hide contraband- when they wore scrubs. In addition, we could prevent elopement because our patients looked different than visitors. Now, they all look the same- wearing street clothes. I don't think the policy was in effect necessarily for suicide precautions, I think just to reduce contraband. If we had patients who were extremely suicidal they were placed 1:1 observation, placed in seclusion (with 1:1), or placed in gowns- cloth or paper. No matter what, they usually got the 1:1 observation. The policy was changed back to street clothes because admin felt that it was infringing on the patients' rights to be forced to wear scrubs.