Patient suicide: coping strategies for mental health nurses

Patient suicide can adversely affect the mental health and well-being of nurses involved in that person's care, and coping strategies and support are vital

• Mental health nurse training needs to cover how to cope with the aftermath of a suicide
• In addition to trauma at a patient’s death, grieving nurses may feel they are being blamed for what happened
• Reports on the issue call for employers to appoint a pastoral suicide lead to support staff in the aftermath

Nurses say they have been changed forever after a patient in their care died by suicide, yet what have been described as toxic workplace attitudes mean that some are blamed and scapegoated for the incidents,