Suicide is at epidemic proportions both in the United States and across the globe. Yet, it is a preventable public health problem. Nurses practice on the front-lines and have the greatest number of opportunities to identify and intervene with suicidal patients. Most registered nurses (RNs) have little or no training in how to assess, evaluate, treat, or refer a suicidal patient. Because of this lack of training, RNs feel ill-prepared and afraid to talk to patients about suicide. The purpose of this article is to review the state of the science of suicide assessment training for nurses. Training RNs in how to assess, evaluate, treat, and refer a suicidal patient is key to suicide prevention. Research suggests that once RNs are trained in suicide assessment, they realize it is no different than assessing for any other type of illness and are then able to help those with suicidal tendencies. The article conclusion offers implications for education, research, and practice.
Native American nurses experienced a great deal of stress and illness as they attempted to fulfill their mission to help their people. The three themes were: (a) paying the price to fulfill my mission, (b) being and connecting holistically, and (c) transcending the system. Recommendations include strategies for nurse educators, tracking the ethnicity of nurses in each Indian Health Service area, documenting their reasons for leaving, and conducting further research to develop community-based interventions to improve retention.
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