A qualitative study on nurses' reactions to inpatient suicide in a general hospital

Aims: To explore the impact of inpatient suicides on nurses working in front-line, the patterns of regulation and their needs for support. Methods: Data were collected through purposive sampling by conducting semi-structured and individual in-depth interviews in a tertiary referral hospital in China. Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological method was simultaneously used by two interviewers. Results: Reactions to inpatient suicides revealed three central themes: (1) inpatients were highly likely to commit suicide, (2) inpatient suicide was difficult to prevent, and (3) nurses lacked the necessary suicide prevention skills. Psychological responses mainly included shock and panic, self-accusation or guilt, sense of fear, and frustration. The impacts on practice were stress, excessive vigilance, and burnout. Avoidance and sharing of feelings played key roles in the regulation patterns of nurses. Conclusions: Nurses who experienced inpatient suicide became stressed. Effective interventions must be implemented to improve the coping mechanisms of nurses against the negative consequences of inpatient suicide. The findings of this study will allow administrators to gain insight into the impacts of inpatient suicides on nurses in general hospitals. Such information can be used to develop effective strategies and provide individual support and ongoing education. Consequently, nurses will acquire suicide prevention skills and help patients achieve swift recovery