Factors Related to Nursing Practices of General Visiting Nurses for Clients With Suicidal Ideation in Japan

Abstract

The current study aimed to clarify the status of suicide care experience and factors influencing nursing practices of general visiting nurses who care for clients with suicidal ideation via home health care. Two hundred eighty nurses completed a self-administered questionnaire about nursing practices, suicide care experiences, and care difficulties. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the total score for each nursing practice factor. In total, 83.9% of nurses stated that their clients' desire to die was significantly associated with “assessing and identifying suicide risk factors” in nursing practice. “Professional support” in nursing practice was significantly associated with the difficulty of creating a risk-based treatment environment as well as with the experience of psychiatric nursing work. Findings suggest that general visiting nurses need to improve their communication skills and assessment abilities for the management of clients with suicidal ideation. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61 (1), 47–54.]