Suicidality in women nurses: A critical interpretive synthesis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Public Health
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• The suicide rate among women nurses in the Global North is significantly higher than in other female populations and among male nurses.
• Existing research is dominated by quantitative methodologies, limiting inquiry into the 'why' behind suicidality.
• Individual-level explanations overshadow crucial structural factors and the lived experiences of nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically synthesize research on suicidality in women nurses.
• To identify gaps in the research representation of this issue.
• To explore the political, social, and personal consequences of these research gaps.

Main Methods:

• A critical interpretive synthesis approach was employed.
• Nurses with lived experience of suicidality were involved throughout the research process.
• Fifty studies were included after screening 11,188 texts, using a sampling frame for methodological diversity.

Main Results:

• Most studies framed suicidality as an individual problem, focusing on pathology or personal weakness.
• Structural factors like workload, discrimination, and psychological safety were frequently overlooked.
• Intersectionality (gender, ethnicity, social position) and lived experiences were under-represented.

Conclusions:

• The individualization and pathologization of suicidality obscure root causes and blame nurses.
• Incomplete and unrepresentative evidence leads to ineffective policies and practices.
• Current approaches fail to adequately prevent suicide among women nurses.