Staff experiences and perceptions of working with in-patients who are suicidal: qualitative analysis

Yvonne Awenat¹, Sarah Peters², Emma Shaw-Nunez², Patricia Gooding², Daniel Pratt², Gillian Haddock²

Affiliations

¹ Yvonne Awenat, MPhil, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Sarah Peters, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and University of Manchester, Manchester; Emma Shaw-Nunez, MRes, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Patricia Gooding, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester; Daniel Pratt, ClinPsyD, Gillian Haddock, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester, UK Yvonne.awenat@manchester.ac.uk.
² Yvonne Awenat, MPhil, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Sarah Peters, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and University of Manchester, Manchester; Emma Shaw-Nunez, MRes, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Patricia Gooding, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester; Daniel Pratt, ClinPsyD, Gillian Haddock, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.

PMID: 28642259
PMCID: PMC5537568
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.191817

Staff experiences and perceptions of working with in-patients who are suicidal: qualitative analysis

Yvonne Awenat et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2017 Aug.

. 2017 Aug;211(2):103-108.

doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.191817. Epub 2017 Jun 22.

Authors

Yvonne Awenat¹, Sarah Peters², Emma Shaw-Nunez², Patricia Gooding², Daniel Pratt², Gillian Haddock²

Affiliations

¹ Yvonne Awenat, MPhil, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Sarah Peters, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and University of Manchester, Manchester; Emma Shaw-Nunez, MRes, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Patricia Gooding, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester; Daniel Pratt, ClinPsyD, Gillian Haddock, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester, UK Yvonne.awenat@manchester.ac.uk.
² Yvonne Awenat, MPhil, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Sarah Peters, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and University of Manchester, Manchester; Emma Shaw-Nunez, MRes, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester; Patricia Gooding, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester; Daniel Pratt, ClinPsyD, Gillian Haddock, PhD, Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences and Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.

PMID: 28642259
PMCID: PMC5537568
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.191817

Erratum in

Correction.
[No authors listed] [No authors listed] Br J Psychiatry. 2017 Oct;211(4):252. doi: 10.1192/bjp.211.4.252a. Br J Psychiatry. 2017. PMID: 28970310 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Abstract

BackgroundSuicidal behaviour is frequent in psychiatric in-patients and much staff time and resources are devoted to assessing and managing suicide risk. However, little is known about staff experiences of working with in-patients who are suicidal.AimsTo investigate staff experiences of working with in-patients who are suicidal.MethodQualitative study guided by thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with mental health staff with experience of psychiatric in-patient care.ResultsTwenty staff participated. All had encountered in-patient suicide deaths or attempts. Three key themes were identified: (a) experiences of suicidality, (b) conceptualising suicidality and (c) talking about suicide.ConclusionsSuicidal behaviour in psychiatric wards has a large impact on staff feelings, practice and behaviour. Staff felt inadequately equipped to deal with such behaviours, with detrimental consequences for patients and themselves. Organisational support is lacking. Training and support should extend beyond risk assessment to improving staff skills in developing therapeutic interactions with in-patients who are suicidal.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interestY.A. is a trustee for a North-west England branch of the charity Mind.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Thematic structure of findings.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Office for National Statistics Statistical Bulletin: Suicides in the United Kingdom: 2014 Registrations. ONS, 2016.
1. National confidential inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (NCISH) Annual Report: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and wales, university of Manchester, 2015.
1. Stewart D, Ross J, Watson C, James K, Bowers L. Patient characteristics and behaviours associated with self-harm and attempted suicide in acute psychiatric wards. J Clin Nurs 2012; 21: 1104–13. - PubMed
1. Appleby L, Shaw J, Kapur N, Windfuhr K, Ashton A, Swinson N, et al. Avoidable Deaths: Five-year Report of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (NCISH). University of Manchester, 2006.
1. Bowers L, Banda T, Nijman H. Suicide inside. A systematic review of inpatient suicides. J Nerv Ment Dis 2010: 198: 315–28. - PubMed

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Staff experiences and perceptions of working with in-patients who are suicidal: qualitative analysis

Affiliations

Staff experiences and perceptions of working with in-patients who are suicidal: qualitative analysis

Authors

Affiliations

Erratum in

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

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Full Text Sources