Nurses's Attitudes in Preventing Suicide: a Survey

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, suicide represents a serious public health problem worldwide. Nurses can play a critical role in suicide prevention. Knowing risk factors and recognizing warning signs for suicide should be part of the professional background of any nurse training programs.

Methods: Our study presents the preliminary descriptive findings from an online survey in nursing staff operating in various areas (medical, surgical, critical and emergency) in the Apulia region. The survey aimed to assess the current knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and training needs of nurses regarding suicide prevention. We administered a questionnaire created with Google forms to a sample of subjects obtained through sampling a reasoned choice.

Results and conclusions: Our study highlighted the lack of perceived competence toward the suicidal patient and the need to implement specific training programs for nurses on the management of patients at risk of suicide. An adequate level of knowledge and competence regarding suicide prevention among healthcare professionals could significantly contribute to improving the quality of care provided to patients at risk for suicide, reducing the risk of suicidal events and improving the overall quality of the care pathway.

Keywords: nurse – suicide – prevention - training.