A patient safety plan template is a simple list of precautions and safety measures that are devised after conducting a deep analysis on a patient who is showing signs of a possible suicide attempt. These measures are provided to the patient by their therapist or physician who has properly studied their condition and found it necessary to dispense with a safety plan for their patient. The precautions mentioned in this safety plan are used by patients when they suffer from suicidal thoughts. The list of content in each safety plan differs depending on the severity of the condition of the patient. These patient safety plans are crucial for patients that are suffering from suicidal thoughts, anxiety or panic attacks and other mental health conditions.
Purpose of Patient Safety Plan:
A safety plan template for patients is used by therapists to ensure that their patients are aware of the precautionary measures they can take when they are facing a crisis and having trouble with their mental health. The patient who is going through suicidal thoughts can be recommended to use a safety plan. It will help him/her in fighting with anxiety and depression attacks. The safety plans include steps that the patient or the people around them can take to help them get through those episodes safely. These plans can be extremely effective for people suffering from the above-mentioned problems. They can help the susceptible individual or the person with them recognize their condition with the help of the safety plan and help them out.
Points to Remember in a Patient Safety Plan:
It must be remembered that safety plans should be fabricated after thoroughly understanding the condition and symptoms of the patient. For this purpose, you are required to collect some data about the patient and then devise safety measures accordingly. Some of the few steps that can be taken to collect all the data and how to put it to use in a safety plan are as follows:
Conduct an interview: Before you begin with the safety plan, it is crucial to have some meetings with the susceptible person and his/her family and friends. You have to build trust with the patient so they can open up to you about their condition. The family and friends can help you understand the patient’s condition and the physical symptoms they show. You can ask the individual about the people they are closest to and trust the most.
Help with diagnosis: In the safety plan, you can mention the symptoms that the patient might witness and what they mean. Such as, if the patient gets trouble breathing, uncontrollable shivering and crying could possibly mean they are having a panic attack.
Coping mechanism: After diagnosing the problem, you have to mention multiple coping mechanisms that the patient must adopt in order to overcome each problem. These could include distractions, breathing methods and meditation. At the same time, you can note down the steps that the people around them can take when the patient is having an episode. Such as talk to them, help them calm down or call one of the emergency contacts written in the safety plan.
Templates for Patient Safety Plan
