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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: It is of the utmost importance to determine the views of nurses about patients with suicidal behavior and who attempt suicide so that they can help such individuals.
AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the feelings, thoughts and experiences of nurses working in a mental health clinic regarding individuals with suicidal behaviors and suicide attempts.
METHODS: A qualitative study design was employed. Data in this research study were collected through individual in-depth interviews. The study population included 121 nurses working at a Mental Health and Diseases Hospital in Turkey. The study sample consisted of 33 nurses who had been working at the hospital for at least one year, had experience working with patients who attempted suicide, and agreed to participate in the study.
RESULTS: The nurses understood the patients; they experienced sadness, worry, anxiety, stress, unrest and fear; they were blamed by the hospital administration when a patient committed suicide; they blamed themselves and doctors for patient suicides; and they had developed proposals to prevent suicide among hospitalized or discharged patients. The nurses also stated that patients committed suicide in the evening or in the early hours of the morning by strangling or hanging themselves or by shocking and unforeseen methods, although the nurses performed the necessary emergency intervention procedures.
CONCLUSION: It is recommended that planned group meetings for nurses be arranged and that follow-up guidelines/protocols for patients with suicidal tendencies who are residing in mental health clinics be prepared by a committee of healthcare professionals. © 2017 Australian College of Nursing Ltd
Language: en |