Experiences of Inpatient Psychiatric Nursing Care among People Who Have Survived a Suicide Attempt

Nurses are front line providers for people who have been hospitalized following a suicide attempt, yet few studies have explored this population's experiences specifically with nursing care in inpatient psychiatric units. The purpose of this study was to hear directly from people who have survived a suicide attempt about their experiences with inpatient psychiatric nursing care following a suicide attempt in order to identify strengths and weaknesses of current practices and elicit suggested improvements. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with people who were previously psychiatrically hospitalized following a suicide attempt (N = 9; M_age=42). Applied thematic analysis was used to identify themes related to positive and negative experiences with nursing care during hospitalization and advice for nurses. Findings demonstrated that positive experiences with nurses related to empathy, friendliness, feeling supported, flexibility, and active listening, while negative experiences centered around feeling stigmatized, invalidated, degraded, and coerced. Advice for nurses included being self-aware of preconceived or stigmatized notions, practicing empathy, listening, and humanity. The results of this study indicate the need for compassionate care, training to reduce nurse stigma, and adequate resources for nurses to mitigate emotional strain and burnout.