Danish emergency nurses' attitudes towards self-harm – a cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to examine Danish emergency nurses' attitudes toward people hospitalized after an acetaminophen poisoning. Furthermore, the study examined the relationship between attitudes and factors such as age, gender, and education on self-harm.

A cross-sectional design was applied. Nurses from seven emergency departments (EDs) in a region in Denmark were asked to complete the Danish version of Attitudes towards Deliberate Self-Harm Questionnaire (ADSHQ).

Of the 254 eligible nurses working in the ED, 122 returned the questionnaires, leaving the response rate at 48%. Results show that the emergency nurses generally held positive attitudes toward patients with acetaminophen poisoning. Nurses with longer ED experience held more positive attitudes, and women scored significantly higher than men on the whole scale. Only 19% of the respondents had received education on self-harm, and this education seems to produce more positive attitudes and a greater self-efficacy in relation to managing the patient group.

Nurses working in the ED generally hold positive attitudes toward patients with acetaminophen poisoning. It is suggested that education on self-harm is a worthwhile endeavor with the potential to strengthen and improve attitudes, for the benefit of both the nurses and the patients.