Staff Views of an Emergency Department Intervention Using Safety Planning and Structured Follow-Up with Suicidal Veterans

The objective of this study is to summarize staff perceptions of the acceptability and utility of the safety planning and structured post-discharge follow-up contact intervention (SPI-SFU), a suicide prevention intervention that was implemented and tested in five Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency departments (EDs). A purposive sampling approach was used to identify 50 staff member key informants. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Almost all staff perceived the intervention as helpful in connecting SPI-SFU participants to follow-up services. A slight majority of staff believed SPI-SFU increased Veteran safety. Staff members also benefited from the implementation of SPI-SFU. Their comfort discharging Veterans at some suicide risk increased. SPI-SFU provides an appealing option for improving suicide prevention services in acute care settings.