Knowledge of suicide behaviour among nurses and medical technicians

Uvod: S obzirom na pojavnost, suicid predstavlja složen javnozdravstveni problem, ne samo u Hrvatskoj nego i cijelom svijetu. Činjenica takvom shvaćanju suicida kao javnozdravstvenog problema proizlazi iz podataka WHO, gdje je 1998. godine suicid bio dvanaesti uzrok smrtnosti u svijetu, a 2007. godine suicid predstavlja u većini zemalja svijeta jedan od prva tri uzroka smrti. Smatra se da ne postoji učinkovit algoritam za predviđanje samoubojstva u kliničkoj praksi, no dobro prepoznavanje i razumijevanje kliničkih, psiholoških, socioloških i bioloških čimbenika može nam omogućiti da prepoznamo visoko rizične pojedince i pomognemo u odabiru adekvatnog liječenja. Suicidalne osobe sa svojim mislima, promišljanjima i nakanama da okončaju život iziskuju strogi nadzor zdravstvenih djelatnika tijekom dvadeset četiri sata. Cilj: Cilj istraživanja je ispitati upućenost medicinskih sestra i tehničara u problematiku suicida, te ispitati postoji li razlika u poznavanju problematike suicida u populaciji medicinskih sestara i tehničara ovisno o razini obrazovanja i radnom iskustvu. Metode: U istraživanje je uključeno 142 medicinske sestara i tehničari Klinike za psihijatriju Vrapče i Klinike za psihijatriju KBC Sestre milosrdnice. Ispitanici su medicinske sestre i tehničari srednje i više stručne spreme, starosne dobi od 18 do 65 godina. Uvjet za sudjelovanje u istraživanju je bilo upoznavanje sa svrhom istraživanja te potpisivanje informiranog pristanka. Rezultati: Istraživanjem dobiveni rezultati ukazuju da nema statistički značaje razlike u poznavanju problematike suicida medicinskih sestara i tehničara s obzirom na stručnu spremu i godine radnog iskustva. Zaključak: Problematika suicidalnog ponašanja predstavlja kompleksan javnozdravstveni problem. Za bolje razumijevanje suicida potrebna je daljnja edukacija medicinskih sestra i tehničara kroz sve oblike stručnog usavršavanja.Introduction: Given its incidence, suicide is a complex public health problem, not only in Croatia but throughout the world. The fact of such an understanding of suicide as a public health problem stems from WHO data, where in 1998 suicide was the twelfth leading cause of death in the world, and in 2007 suicide was one of the top three causes of death in most countries. There is considered to be no effective algorithm for predicting suicide in clinical practice, but a good recognition and understanding of clinical, psychological, sociological, and biological factors can enable us to identify high-risk individuals and help select appropriate treatment. Suicidal individuals with their thoughts, reflections, and intentions to end their lives require strict supervision by health professionals for twenty-four hours. Objective: The aim of the research is to examine the knowledge of nurses and technicians in the issue of suicide, and to examine whether there is a difference in knowledge of suicide in the population of nurses and technicians depending on the level of education and work experience. Methods: The study included 142 nurses and technicians from the Vrapče University Psychitaric Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Centre. Respondents are nurses and technicians of secondary and higher education, aged 18 to 65 years. The condition for participation in the research was getting acquainted with the purpose of the research and signing an informed consent. Results: The results obtained from the research indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the knowledge of the issue of suicide of nurses and technicians with regard to education and years of work experience. Conclusion: The problem of suicidal behaviour is a complex public health problem. Further understanding of suicide requires further education of nurses and technicians through all forms of professional development