Premium
Suicide prevention in mental health services: A qualitative analysis of coroners’ reports
Author(s) -
Manuel Jenni,
Crowe Marie,
Inder Maree,
Henaghan Mark
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.911
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1447-0349
pISSN - 1445-8330
DOI - 10.1111/inm.12349
Subject(s) - mental health , suicide prevention , psychological intervention , occupational safety and health , medicine , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , injury prevention , inclusion (mineral) , psychiatry , family medicine , psychology , medical emergency , social psychology , pathology
Suicide is a major concern for mental health nurses because of its clear correlation with mental illness. In New Zealand, coroners investigate all deaths that appear to be a result of suicide, and provide reports to mental health services ( MHS ). The aim of the present study was to investigate coronial recommendations to MHS in relation to suicide prevention and to examine clinical and family responses to these. The present study was a three‐phase design: (i) analysis of coroners’ recommendations related to suicide in MHS ; (ii) interviews with clinicians for their response to the recommendations; and (iii) interviews with individuals working with families of consumers of MHS for their responses in relation to family‐related recommendations. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on the recommendations from coroners, the interviews with clinical leaders, and the focus group for family workers. Coroners recommended that MHS should implement suicide‐prevention strategies that would facilitate improved communication, risk containment, service delivery, and family involvement. Clinicians agreed with most recommendations, apart from those related to risk containment. Family workers endorsed the coronial perspective that family inclusion in MHS was suboptimal. Coroners, MHS , and mental health nurses need to consider the latest clinical evidence for suicide prevention. However, given the complexity of factors that influence suicide, it is important to be realistic about MHS role in preventing suicide, but ensure that MHS provide interventions for which there is evidence, including facilitating family participation and providing access to psychotherapies.