The Importance of Time: Nurses' Experiences of Working With Suicide Prevention and Suicide Risk Assessment in the Care of Older People

Aim: To describe nurses' experiences of working with suicide prevention and suicide risk assessment in the care of older people.

Background: Suicide is a problem among older people, worldwide. Risk factors for suicide are, among others, depression, illness and pain and a feeling of isolation. Nurses have valuable experience in suicide prevention and risk assessments. This study can shed light on what is needed to promote the mental health of older people, which has been partly overlooked in previous research.

Methods/design: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Ten nurses working in care of older people across four different municipalities were interviewed. Conventional content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results: Despite shortcomings in guidelines, nurses describe performing suicide risk assessments and suicide prevention in a similar manner. The importance of giving the patients time is emphasised, although time is exactly what appears to be lacking.

Conclusion: By engaging with the experiences of nurses, important aspects that require further attention are highlighted. Nurses should inquire about suicidal ideation, even if older persons do not explicitly express such thoughts. Normal ageing needs to be comprehended and considered in assessments. In this work, time is important.

Patient or public contribution: The results were coproduced by means of interviews with nurses working in care of older people.

Reporting method: The study was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.

Implications for practice: Encountering older people who may have experienced the loss of loved ones and addressing one's personal capabilities in the context of the ageing body imposes substantial challenges on nursing care, necessitating a capacity to adeptly navigate and address these complex issues.