title: Hospice and palliative social workers' experiences with clients at risk of suicide.
abstract: We sought to determine the frequency with which hospice and palliative social workers encounter patients, family caregivers, and other clients at risk of suicide, and to discover the extent to which hospice and palliative social workers feel prepared to address issues related to suicide in their professional practice.
  
  
  
  We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospice and palliative social workers, recruiting a convenience sample of volunteer respondents through advertisements at professional conferences and listservs, and via social media accounts associated with national organizations, state hospice and palliative care associations, and individual healthcare professionals.
  
  
  
  Most respondents reported having worked with patients, family caregivers, or other clients who had exhibited warning signs of suicide during the previous year. Fewer respondents indicated that they had worked with patients and family members who had attempted or died by suicide. While the majority of respondents believed they possessed sufficient knowledge and skills to intervene effectively with individuals at risk of suicide, they indicated that additional education on this topic would be valuable for their professional practice.
  
  
  
  These study results suggest that suicide-related competencies are important in the practice of hospice and palliative social work. Future education and training efforts should include skill development in addition to knowledge building.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine,University of Missouri,Columbia,MO,USA.
authors.forename: Karla T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work,University of Alabama,Tuscaloosa,Alabama.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Albright
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine,University of Missouri,Columbia,MO,USA.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parker Oliver
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Disorders and Social Work,University of Central Missouri,Warrensburg, MO,USA.
authors.forename: L Ashley
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gage
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work,University of Missouri,Columbia,Missouri.
authors.forename: Alexandria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine,University of Missouri,Columbia,MO,USA.
authors.forename: Megan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D006738:Hospices / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000068217:Social Workers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Hospice; Palliative care; Social work; Suicide