Resource Tag: NURSING ASPECTS

For commentary on this article, please see SIEC #2004-0847

This article addresses ethical positions supporting & opposing rational suicide, & considers whether coherence in nursing practices can be achieved through an ethic of care. The authors find that nursing attitudes toward rational suicide are no different from general societal attitudes &, consequently, nurses are treading on uncertain moral ground. They argue that nurses who […]

For responses to this article, please see SIEC #2003-0435

For the original article by J S Fontana, please see SIEC #2002-0434

This article utilizes both the existing literature on no-suicide contracts & the results of recent research into the effects of this tool, to examine whether its use is consistent with the legal & ethical doctrine of informed consent. Particular attention is given to issues of competence, fullness of information, voluntariness & paternalistic intervention when no-suicide […]

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In this paper a preliminary evaluation of a specialist programme for the ambulatory treatment of patients with personality disorder is presented. This study presents 36 months’ follow up results in several dimensions of patients’ functioning, including number & severity of psychiatric symptoms, social adaptation, self-harm, attempted suicide & psychiatric utilisation. The results showed significant improvements […]

Because nursing is intimately involved with care of patients at the end of life in a variety of settings, the author aims to contribute to their being well-informed of issues surrounding end of life decisions. This article examines the ethical, social, legal, political, & economic impact of physician-assisted suicide. (14 refs)

In this practice-improvement project, 14 high-risk female high-school students showing signs of depression completed a questionnaire about risk & protective factors during assessment & at the end of intervention. 12 participated in a weekly support group designed to enhance coping skills & provide emotional support. Assessment revealed that they were at suicide risk. At the […]

This paper describes an epidemiological examination of suicide statistics of 623 women in four U.S. states for the years 1975-1979, who had been employed in highly traditional, moderately traditional, & nontraditional occupations. Women, in general, had higher suicide rates in moderately traditional occupations. Rates were lowest in highly traditional occupations. Race-specific analyses showed that the […]

A community psychiatric nurse describes the discharge, aftercare and rehabilitation of a 49 year old farmer who attempted suicide following the death of his wife.

This article records the experience of psychiatric nurses in working with suicidal patients. It includes a suicide assessment tool developed by a committee of psychiatric nurses in order to help them assess the appropriate levels of observation & care required by individual patients. Instructions for using the tool, an example & a case study are […]

This article discusses the emotional distress family members might experience when caring for someone with a mental illness. Family caregivers may experience grief, guilt, anger, powerlessness, &/or fear. It is suggested education & peer groups may be most helpful to family members in dealing with their distress & in becoming better prepared caregivers. (2 refs.)

The purpose of this article is to provide information for assessing & intervening with outpatients who express suicidal thoughts & to propose a decision tree. Information was gathered from a literature review & clinical experience. It is concluded careful assessment & sound management are required to provide treatment in outpatient settings while maintaining patient safety. […]

A suicide precautions policy & procedure program designed specifically for patients in a medical/surgical unit provides a protected environment & allows for a timely psychiatric evaluation. General principles of crisis intervention guided this policy. (5 refs.)

This paper examines assessment, risk factors, and clues to suicide in the elderly, and identifies treatment strategies. Demographic, psychiatric & medical suicide risk factors are listed. Screening tools (e.g. Geriatric Depression Scale) are discussed. Features of suicide messages & the limitations of no-suicide contracts are mentioned. Valente suggests counselling, anti-depressants & electroconvulsive therapy as treatment […]

This article reports a study examining the rejection level of the surviving widow toward the suicide victim & the suicide survivor’s experience of abuse. Results showed that 65.3% of the survivors of suicide had experienced some form of abuse, the most frequent being verbal abuse. The experience of abuse may affect the bereavement process & […]

This book has 8 chapters: 1) living with loss: a personal perspective; 2) understanding & assessing loss; 3) grief & mourning: the responses to loss; 4) loss in the emergency department; 5) loss associated with life-threatening illness; 6) loss associated with reproduction; 7) children & loss; & 8) loss & the elderly.

Literature review of depressive symptomatology on primary family caregivers shows negative aspects of caregiver burden include: need for physical relief from caregiving, health problems, deficits in caregiving knowledge, skills & problem-solving & inadequate self-help support networks. Strongest evidence of depressive symptoms are shown in studies of caregivers of demented relatives. Hamilton’s Caregiver Support Program – […]