title: Mediating consolation with suicidal patients.
abstract: Psychiatric nurses frequently encounter suicidal patients. Caring for such patients often raises ethical questions and dilemmas. The research question for this study was: 'What understandings are revealed in texts about consolation and psychiatric nurses' responses to suicidal patients?' A Gadamerian approach guided re-interpretation of published texts. Through synthesizing four interpretive phases, a comprehensive interpretation emerged. This revealed being 'at home' with self, or an ethical way of being, as a hermeneutic understanding of a way to become ready to mediate consolation with suicidal patients. Trustworthiness was addressed by means of the qualities of auditability, credibility and confirmability. This re-interpretation adds to nursing knowledge, enhances understanding of previous research findings, provides pre-understanding for further research and reveals the value of hermeneutic inquiry in nursing. It also deepens understanding of a published model of consolation. These understandings may help to guide nurses who are struggling with suicidal patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Nursing, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508-4614, USA. afflg@uaa.alaska.edu
authors.forename: Fredricka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gilje
authors.forename: Anne-Grethe
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Talseth
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000941:ethics; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D032882:Comprehension / Q000941:ethics; D004645:Empathy; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009013:Morale; D017008:Negotiating / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000941:ethics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology