11 Suicide Prevention
CORE CONCEPTS Behaviors: Suicide Caring: Therapeutic relationship Safety: Suicide risk
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Objectives Introduction Historical Perspectives Epidemiology Risk Factors Predisposing Factors: Theories of Suicide
Application of the Nursing Process With the Suicidal Patient Summary and Key Points Review Questions Clinical Judgment Questions Communication Exercises
assessment, Suicide prevention Evidence-Based Practice: Suicide prevention Health Promotion: Suicide risk assessment Professional Behavior: Nursing process in the care of patients with suicidal ideation or behaviors Clinical Judgment
KEY TERMS collaborative safety plan suicide
suicide risk factors suicide warning signs
OBJECTIVES After reading this chapter, the student will be able to: 1. Discuss epidemiological statistics and risk factors related to suicide. 2. Describe predisposing factors implicated in the etiology of suicide. Introduction Suicide is not a diagnosis or a disorder; it is a behav- ior. Specifically, it is the act of taking one’s own life, and it derives from the Latin words for “one’s own killing.” Many religions hold that suicide is a sin, and it is strictly forbidden. Cultural norms and attitudes also influence an individual’s beliefs about suicide. Although some populations are considered at higher risk for suicide (such as American Indians and Alaska Natives; active and veteran military members; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals; and people in justice or child welfare settings), suicide touches the lives of all age-, ethnic, and racial groups in all parts of the country. A complex interaction of fac- tors, such as mental illness, substance abuse, painful
3. Differentiate between facts and myths regarding suicide. 4. Apply the nursing process to individuals exhibiting suicidal behavior.
losses, exposure to violence, and social isolation, are all influential in increasing these risks (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2020). In the past decade, many state legislatures have debated the acceptability of physician-assisted sui- cide. Although it is legal in all parts of the United States for an individual or the individual’s power of attorney to refuse life-preserving medical treatment, the majority of states have not legalized physician- assisted suicide. As of 2020, nine states (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont) and Washing- ton, DC, have legalized physician-assisted suicide. New Mexico also adopted a similar law, but it was overturned on appeal in August 2015. Can suicide be
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