A Descriptive Synthesis of Case Reports on Nurse and Physician Suicide

Conduct a descriptive synthesis of case reports on nurse and physician suicide.

The literature was searched using CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Google Scholar.

Collectively, 47 case reports on nurse suicide and 95 case reports on physician suicide were examined. Most case reports did not differentiate between working and non-working nurse and physician suicide decedents. Case reports suggested nurse and physician suicide decedents maintained specialties that provided knowledge of and/or easier access to lethal means of suicide. Case reports frequently included nurse and physician suicide decedents from high-income countries with higher provider per population ratios. Male nurse suicide decedents were overrepresented across case reports, and there were also more case reports on male physician suicide decedents. Nurse and physician suicide decedents in their 40s and 30s were the subject of numerous case reports. Nurses and physicians were frequently found deceased in their homes, followed by the workplace. Across case reports, self-poisoning represented the leading method of suicide among nurses and physicians. Ethanol represented a common nonfatal substance among nurse and physician suicide decedents. Across case reports, leading overlapping contextual factors among nurse and physician suicide decedents included mental health concerns, physical health concerns, and job problems.

Taken together, additional research is important in corroborating evidence from case reports, building and expanding the evidence base, and informing prevention and intervention.