Nurses’ Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Suicidal Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Depression Management Training

Suicide prevention is a priority globally. Community nurses are on the frontline of healthcare, and thus well placed to identify those at risk of suicide and act to prevent it. However, they are often ill-equipped to do so. This study examines whether depression management training for nurses may also help them manage suicide-risk patients. Method: This quasi-experimental study used a questionnaire that included a randomly assigned textual case vignette, measures related to patient descriptions portrayed in the vignette, and demographic and clinical/training information. The participants were 139 Israeli nurses who were mostly Jewish, Israeli-born, and married women working as community nurses. Almost half had completed depression management training (DMT) in their routine work. Results: Nurses who completed depression management training were more likely than non-trainees to query the patient regarding mental status and suicide plans and were more likely to refer them to appropriate further treatment. The graduate nurses also reported higher self-competence and more positive attitudes regarding their ability to assess depression and suicide risk than nurses who had not received depression management training. Discussion: The results highlight the importance of depression management training, as suicide assessment and referral are among the major steps to suicide prevention.