University Nursing Assignment: Suicide Risk, Assessment, and Factors

This nursing assignment addresses the critical topic of suicide, focusing on the student's understanding of suicide assessment, risk factors, and intervention strategies. The assignment begins with a personal reflection on the student's emotional responses to suicide attempts and the need for differentiated approaches based on the severity of depression and suicidal ideation. It then delves into the identification of various risk and protective factors associated with suicide, including deteriorating mental health symptoms, social isolation, life stressors, access to care, and cultural beliefs. The core of the assignment involves a detailed exploration of the suicide assessment process, emphasizing the evaluation of verbal, psychological, emotional, and behavioral outcomes through specific questioning techniques. Finally, the assignment acknowledges the significant psychological impact of suicide on loved ones, highlighting the importance of addressing bereavement and depression in those left behind.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nursing assignment
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

NURSING ASSIGNMENT
1.
a. When I hear that someone has attempted suicide, I feel very angry as I think suicide is not the
solution to deal with problems. I feel such persons are weak.
I would treat a severely depressed person and a severely depressed person who attempted suicide
differently because different approach will be required to deal with a client who develops suicide
ideation.
2.
a. There are several risk factors for suicide such as deteriorating symptoms of mental
disorders like depression and mood disorder, social isolation, drug overdose, life stressors
or exposure to trauma and exposure to events like loss of loved ones or maltreatment.
Financial constraints, diagnosis of a life limiting illness and history of alcohol and
substance abuse also increases risk of suicide (Mishara and Chagnon 2016; Pitman et al.
2016).
In contrast, the protective factors for suicide includes access to effective clinical care for mental
diosrder, support of family members and other for help seeking, connectedness, problem solving
skills, cultural and religious belief discouraging suicides and regular support and guidance from
an experience mental health professional (Consoli et al. 2015).
3.
a. To conduct suicide assessment, I need information on the following areas:
Verbal outcome: I would evaluate verbal signs by asking questions like ‘Do you ever think of
hurting yourself?’.
Psychological outcome: To get an overview of psychological signs of suicides, I would try to
look for feelings of hopelessness and poor concentration in patient. I can ask question like ‘Are
you satisfied with your life?’
Emotional outcome: Emotional disturbance can be judged by symptoms of sleep disturbance,
crying, poor concentration and social withdrawal. I can ask question like ‘ Do you get a sound
sleep at night? to understand the risk of suicide.
Behavioral outcome: Engaging in risky or impulsive behaviour, poor work performance and
poor self-esteem are behavioural signs of suicide (Bolster et al. 2015). I can ask question like
‘Do you have interest in your work or do you get pleasure with your daily life routine?’
Suicide of loves one can have significant psychological and emotional impact on those left
behind. Suffering from bereavement and depression can deteriorate mental health of such people.

NURSING ASSIGNMENT
References:
Bolster, C., Holliday, C., Oneal, G. and Shaw, M., 2015. Suicide assessment and nurses: what
does the evidence show. Online journal of issues in nursing, 20(2).
Consoli, A., Cohen, D., Bodeau, N., Guile, J.M., Mirkovic, B., Knafo, A., Mahé, V., Laurent, C.,
Renaud, J., Labelle, R. and Breton, J.J., 2015. Risk and protective factors for suicidality at 6-
month follow-up in adolescent inpatients who attempted suicide: an exploratory
model. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 60(2 Suppl 1), p.S27.
Mishara, B.L. and Chagnon, F., 2016. Why Mental Illness is a Risk Factor for Suicide:
Implications for Suicide Prevention. The International Handbook of Suicide Prevention, pp.594-
608.
Pitman, A.L., Osborn, D.P., Rantell, K. and King, M.B., 2016. Bereavement by suicide as a risk
factor for suicide attempt: a cross-sectional national UK-wide study of 3432 young bereaved
adults. BMJ open, 6(1), p.e009948.