Citation

Cutcliffe JR, Stevenson C. Int. J. Nurs. Stud. 2007; 45(6): 942-953.

Affiliation

University of Texas (Tyler), 3900 University Boulevard, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2007.02.002

PMID

17400229

Abstract

Psychiatric/Mental Health nurses have a long history of being front-line carers of suicidal people, and yet the international epidemiological literature, methodological problems notwithstanding, suggests that contemporary care practices for suicidal people have much room for improvement. As a result, this paper focuses on several areas/issues of care of the suicidal person, and in so doing, critiques the extant literature, such as it is. This critique illustrates that there is a disconcerting lack of empirically induced theory to guide practice and even less empirical evidence to support-specific interventions. The paper concludes, accepting the axiomatic complexity and multi-dimensionality of suicide, and the undeniable fact that suicide is a human drama, played out in the everyday lives of people, that for Psychiatric/Mental Health nurses, caring for suicidal people must be an interpersonal endeavor; and one personified by talking and listening.

Language: en