Outpatient Mental Health Nurses' Experiences of Suicide Follow-Up Interventions: A Qualitative Interview Study

Introduction: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Following a suicide attempt, many patients receive suicide follow-up interventions (SFI) from outpatient mental health care services, where outpatient mental health nurses play a crucial role. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of improvements and opportunities for development in this aspect of care to gain insights into potential areas for improvement and opportunities for development.

Aim: To investigate outpatient mental health nurses' experiences of SFI.

Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted with 10 outpatient mental health nurses. Conventional content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results: Three categories emerged: connecting with and understanding suicidal patients, being dependent on adequate conditions for SFI, and feeling competent but vulnerable in SFI.

Discussion: Providing structured training for nurses to address patients with particularly challenging conditions is vital, as SFI entails complex and challenging situations. Training that incorporates proven methods from other interventions, involving the expertise of those with lived experience, employers, and academics, can offer significant advantages. Promoting increased collaboration can enhance the safety of assessments.

Implications for practice: Team-based SFI can enhance suicide follow-up intervention services in psychiatric outpatient care.