Critical Review on Suicide Among Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• High prevalence of suicide among nurses documented.
• Last comprehensive literature review on nurse suicide published 15 years ago.
• Significant gap in current research on this critical issue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing knowledge on suicide risk in nurses.
• To identify contributory risk factors for suicide among nurses.
• To highlight the need for further investigation into work-related factors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of electronic databases for studies on nurse suicide.
• Keyword analysis focusing on prevalence and risk factors.
• Inclusion criteria applied to abstracts, followed by full-text review and data summarization.

Main Results:

• Only nine eligible articles identified for this review.
• Confirmed high prevalence of suicide within the nursing profession.
• Highlighted a persistent lack of empirical studies examining nurse suicide.

Conclusions:

• Work and work environment factors are linked to stress, distress, and psychiatric issues in nurses.
• Emphasizes the critical need to investigate occupational factors associated with suicide risk.
• Suggests future research directions and methodologies for studying nurse suicide.