ABSTRACT
Suicide and self-harm, although by no means exclusive to the population, are often associated with people with mental health problems. Indeed, the commonality of self-injurious behaviour is such that psychiatric-mental health nurses (PMHNs) are highly likely to encounter people who present with an increased risk of suicide and/or self-harm.This chapter will thus not belabour the obvious need for PMHNs to be competent in risk assessment of both suicide risk and risk of self-harm. Although risk assessment is only the beginning and, to be effective, must lead to evidence-based interventions,1,2 the possibility of prevention arguably lies in the veracity of risk assessment and the judicious application of these findings to each individual situation.
