Care of the Suicidal Person

According to the World Health Organization, approximately one million people died as a result of suicide in the year 2000. That is one death every 40 seconds. Nurses have been involved in the care of the suicidal person, in one form or another, since the inception of formal mental health services. Despite this, there is a lack of theoretically robust and/or empirically induced information on how such care can and should be carried out. This book is the first of its kind. It is based on a three year qualitative study (a study that was funded by the United Kingdom Department of Health) that investigated how psychiatric nurses provided care for suicidal people. Drawing on service user data, this book contains and explains an evidence-based (empirically induced) theory of how to care for suicidal people. Far from being an esoteric theory with no clinical applicability, the findings captured in this book are grounded in the reality of day-to-day practice.
Furthermore, in addition to tracing the role of nurses in caring for suicidal people, the authors use their findings to launch into formal level issues regarding future research, education and policy; as well as focusing on the ethical issues involved in care of the suicidal person. The authors close by shifting the focus on 'suicide survivors' and with the help of contributing authors. As the eminent suicidology scholars who have generously provided their Forewords note - this is a must-read book for anyone involved in the care of the suicidal person.