title: Nursing students' attitude towards suicide attempters: A study from rural part of Northern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Majority of health professionals have unfavorable attitudes towards patients presenting with self-harm, which further compromises their willingness and outcome of care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the nursing students' attitudes toward suicide attempters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study was conducted in two nursing colleges of north India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and eight nursing students were recruited through total enumeration method from May to June 2012. 'Suicide opinion questionnaire' was administered to assess their attitudes towards suicide attempters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive statistics was employed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 14.0 for Windows.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority were single females, from urban locality, with the mean age of 20 years. Only minority had previous exposure to suicide prevention programs and management of such cases. Majority of students agreed for mental illness, disturbed family life, and depression as major push to attempt suicide. They held favorable attitude for half of the attitudinal statement, but they were uncertain for rest half of the statements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  They generally had favorable attitude towards suicide attempters. Their uncertain response highlights the need for enhancing educational exposure of nursing students and new staff at the earliest opportunity, to carve their favorable attitude towards patients presenting with self-harm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Silver Oaks College of Nursing, Mohali, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Mamta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nebhinani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Science, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nebhinani
authors.affiliation: Dr. Syamala Reddy College of Nursing, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamphasana
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Achla D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
keywords: Attitudes; nurses; nursing students; self-harm; suicide