Evidence-based vs informal suicide training: Nurse confidence and comfort with suicidal patient care

Introduction Emergency nurses are on the front line of patient care for suicidal persons, yet many nurses report feeling unprepared to effectively manage suicidal patients owing to a lack of suicide-specific training. The purpose of this study was to examine the suicide-specific training experiences of emergency nurses and evaluate how training relates to burnout, confidence, and comfort […]

Nudging general practitioners to explore suicidal thoughts among depressed patients

Background While frank discussion of suicidal thoughts in patients with depression is important for the prevention of suicide, suicide exploration of General Practitioners (GPs) is suboptimal. This study aimed to assess whether an intervention that prompts pop-up screens nudges GPs to more frequently explore suicidal thoughts over the course of two years. Methods From January […]

Yearning to be heard: What veterans teach us about suicide risk and effective interventions

Background: Patients with serious mental illness can be at higher risk for suicide. Most research has focused on determining the risk factors for suicide-related events using quantitative methodologies and psychological autopsies. However, fewer studies have examined patients’ perspectives regarding the experience of suicidal events. Aims: To better understand suicide experiences from the perspective of patients diagnosed with […]

Zero suicide: An international declaration for better healthcare

This declaration was developed by a diverse group of 50 peer leaders, government policy makers, and healthcare providers from 13 countries convened for Atlanta 2015: An International Declaration and Social Movement to address the aspirational goal of zero suicide in healthcare. It discusses the problem of suicide stemming from a lack of effective care and […]

Nonwillingness to return to the emergency department and nonattendance of follow-up care arrangements following an initial suicide-related presentation

Background: For people experiencing a suicidal crisis the emergency department (ED) is often the only option to find help. Aims: The aims of this study were (a) to identify predictors of patients’ nonwillingness to return to the ED for help with a future suicidal crisis, and (b) whether nonwillingness to return was associated with follow-up appointment nonattendance. Method: This study […]

Experiences of a recovery-oriented caring approach to suicidal behavior: A single-case study

Research considering the basis for mental health nurses wanting to enable recovery among people who suffer from suicidal behavior is sparse. The aim of this study is to explore and evaluate how a new recovery-oriented caring approach (ROCA) was experienced by a suicidal patient in a context of close relatives and nurses. A single-case study […]

Patient suicide and self-harm prevention strategies in hospitals

Inpatient suicide and self-harm attempts are two sentinel events hospitals seek to avoid. Nonetheless, each year, patients are able to commit suicide or self-harm within hospitals. While several national entities have provided guidance to reduce the risk of self-harm among inpatients, no global standard exists to address these preventable events. The objectives of this paper […]

Patient care activities by community pharmacists in a capitation funding model mental health and addictions program

Background Community pharmacists are autonomous, regulated health care professionals located in urban and rural communities in Canada. The accessibility, knowledge, and skills of community pharmacists can be leveraged to increase mental illness and addictions care in communities. Methods The Bloom Program was designed, developed, and implemented based on the Behaviour Change Wheel and a program of […]

Integrating safety plans for suicidal patients into patient portals: Challenges and opportunities.

Safety planning is an emerging evidence-based practice that is effective at decreasing suicidal behaviors. As electronic medical records and patient portals become more prevalent, patients and clinicians have recognized the value of using this technology in the safety planning process. This column describes the experience of one federally qualified health center, the Institute for Family […]

Mental health: A person-centred approach.

Mental Health: a person-centred approach aligns leading mental health research with the human connections that can and should be made in mental health care. It seeks to deepen readers’ understanding of themselves, the work they do, and how this intersects with the lives and crises of people with mental illness. This book adopts a storytelling […]