Creating and Maintaining a Safe Environment

Abstract

There has been much debate as to the influence of environment on incidences of self-harm, suicide and homicide and it is not our purpose to reiterate or re-rehearse these arguments. We would however, like to give some attention to environment and the extent to which we as mental health professionals contribute to its impact on our clients. In this, the authors feel it imperative that we accept from the outset, the considerable and significant role nurses play in creating an impression of the (physical and human) environment on the patient. For the sake of brevity and to fully exploit the unique contributions of the authors to the various dimensions of this chapter we shall consider the risk to self (suicide and self-injuriousness) and the risk to others (dangerousness) as separate entities.