Educational initiative can heighten nurse awareness of suicide risk

An educational class on nurse suicide can equip nurses to recognize, assess and intervene if they suspect colleagues may be contemplating suicide, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration. The authors suggest nurse leaders implement a similar educational program and distribute a brochure detailing hospital- and community-based resources to promote practice environments supporting nurses’ mental health. They recommend assessing cultural beliefs before designing the class and modifying it to consider those beliefs, based on a previous study finding social liberals were more likely than Christian conservatives were to confide thoughts of suicide to a colleague. The authors designed and conducted the intervention for 225 nurses at Baptist Healthcare System, headquartered in Louisville, Ky.