Oncology nurses' knowledge of suicide evaluation and prevention.
BACKGROUND
Cancer patients can present with a risk of suicide, making it important for oncology nurses to be knowledge about the high-risk factors for suicide in this population and to be competent in suicide detection and management.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe oncology nurses' identification of risk factors, knowledge, and skill at suicide evaluation and prevention based on evaluation of a vignette and to describe nurses' assessments and interventions for suicidal patients.


METHODS
As part of a larger exploratory, national study, clinical oncology nurses (n = 1200) from the Oncology Nurses Society responded to a knowledge survey; a total of 454 evaluable questionnaires (37% response rate) were returned.


RESULTS
Nurses reviewed a vignette of a suicidal patient and correctly identified these risk factors: widower (69.8%), wishes he/she were dead (82.8%), and gives away prized possessions (79.6%). Few nurses knew that ethnicity (0.4%), age (13.2%), or sex (16.4%) indicated suicide risk. Nurses incorrectly believed that worrying, crying, and executive position indicated suicide risk (40.6-42%). Most nurses rated themselves as having little to some skill and knowledge of suicide evaluation.


CONCLUSIONS
Oncology nurses were able to identify certain behavioral risk factors at acceptable rates but not demographic risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Oncology nurses are likely to interact with patients at suicide risk and would benefit from knowledge about behavioral and demographic risk factors that contribute to an oncology patient becoming high risk for suicide. Such knowledge could contribute to overall patient safety.
Valente
Sharon M
SM
Research and Education, Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, CA, USA. sharon.valente@va.gov
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000092864:Suicide Prevention