Engagement, Responsibility, Collaboration, and Abandonment: Nurses' Experiences of Assessing Suicide Risk in Psychiatric Inpatient Care. (3rd August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Derblom, Katharina; Lindgren, Britt-Marie; Johansson, Anna; Molin, Jenny
• Is Part Of: Issues in mental health nursing. Volume 42:Number 8(2021)
• Page Start: 776
• Page End: 783
• Publication Date: 2021-08-03
• Subjects: Psychiatric nursing -- Periodicals; Mental health personnel -- Periodicals; 616.89023105
• DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2020.1864686
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0161-2840

Abstract

Abstract: Suicide risk assessment is a complex task for nurses working in psychiatric inpatient care. This study explored psychiatric inpatient nurses' experiences of assessing suicide risk. A qualitative design was used, and 10 interviews were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Nurses described suicide risk assessments as requiring them to create caring alliances and to take responsibility. Collaborating with colleagues was another part of nurses' experiences, as was feeling abandoned. To make the assessment safely, nurses need a combination of caring alliances, support from colleagues, clear guidelines, training and time for collegial reflection to create a supportive working climate.