Interview with Alexis Schmid and Frances Damian, co-authors of “Care of the Suicidal Pediatric Patient in the ED: A Case Study” (September, 2011)

The suicide rate among children and adolescents has steadily risen and many of these children are first seen in hospital EDs. Children’s Hospital Boston has developed a treatment algorithm to facilitate screening, assessment and intervention in the ED. AJN editor in chief Shawn Kennedy and senior editor Sylvia Foley discuss the case that prompted this article with authors Alexis Schmid and Frances Damian, as well as key points about pediatric suicide and what ED nurses need to keep in mind with these troubled children.