Attitudes towards suicidal behaviour and associated factors among nursing professionals: A quantitative study

Abstract

Background The attitudes towards suicide of emergency nurses may affect the care provided. However, the factors associated with these attitudes remain unclear. Objective To investigate attitudes towards suicidal behaviour and associated factors among nursing professionals working in emergency settings. Methods A cross-sectional observational study including 28 nurses and 118 who were nursing assistants employed at two emergency services in Brazil was conducted. Data were collected in 2015 using a self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire and the Suicide Behavior Attitude Questionnaire (SBAQ). Results The majority of participants reported having no experience or training in mental health or suicide. They reported more negative feelings towards the patient and a lower self-perception of professional competence regarding suicidal behaviours, and these attitudes seemed to reinforce each other. Nurses who worked in mental health services reported less moralistic/judgemental attitudes. Working in prehospital services was associated with having a lower self-perception of professional competence. There were professionals who reported thinking seriously about committing suicide. Conclusion When combined with support and training, practicing mental health nursing may serve as an opportunity to develop favourable attitudes and emotional competences, and these issues need to be addressed in suicide education strategies.

The meaning of suicidal behaviour from the perspective of senior nursing undergraduate students

“…The reduction and countering of such attitudes are extremely challenging (Giacchero Vedana et al . ). Studies carried out in different contexts show that, in general, nurses have both negative and moralistic attitudes (Carmona‐Navarro & Pichardo‐martínez ), as well as prescriptive approaches (Osafo et al .…”

“…Thus, by combining the provision of carer support mechanisms with further training, mental health nursing could, through practice, foment the development of both favourable attitudes to suicide and emotional competence amongst nursing professionals, such issues being, fundamentally, the domain of suicide education strategies (Giacchero Vedana et al . ).…”

“…) and nursing professionals have a low level of educational exposure to suicide (Giacchero Vedana et al . ).…”

Nursing students' attitudes to suicide and suicidal persons: A cross‐national and cultural comparison between Turkey and the United Kingdom

“…There has also been a recent focus on research within individual countries such as the Giacchero Vedana et al. () study from Brazil, which conducted a cross‐sectional observational study of 28 nurses and 118 nursing assistants. They found that the majority of participants reported having no experience or training in mental health or suicide and had negative feelings towards patients.…”

“…The findings showed that suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and psychological distress were significantly more frequent in participants classified as individualist on the basis of their scores than those classified as collectivist. The UK students being twice as likely to be individualistic as the Turkish students.There has also been a recent focus on research within individual countries such as the GiaccheroVedana et al (2017) study fromBrazil, which conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 28 nurses and 118 nursing assistants. They found that the majority of participants reported having no experience or training in mental health or suicide and had negative feelings towards patients.…”