NCJ Number
113055
Journal
Nursing 88 Dated: (July 1988) Pages: 59-64
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A recent study found that male acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients between 20 and 59 years old run a suicide risk 36 times that of other men their age and 66 times that of the population as a whole.
Abstract
This suicide threat raises a number of issues regarding nursing care of AIDS patients. Nurses working with these patients should take all threats of suicide seriously. Often, signs and symptoms of depression, such as difficulty concentrating and making decisions, may suggest a patient is at risk of suicide. Talking to the patient often can produce further clues. Nurses should screen such conversations for indications of helplessness and hopelessness, suicidal intention, and whether the patient has a plan and means of carrying it out. On the basis of such screening, the danger can be assessed and additional help may be sought for the patient. In some cases, talking about or contemplating suicide may serve as a safety valve for patients who need to feel they have some control over their lives. Nurses can help such patients reestablish a sense of control by including them in decisions and providing them with information. In some cases, patients may realistically assess their situation, have an understandable motive, and decide to commit suicide 'rationally' and with no signs of depression. Such cases may be very difficult to identify; although subtle behaviors, such as medical noncompliance, may provide clues. While staff may feel anger and guilt after a patient's suicide, they should be aware that the care and support they offered are things they can feel good about. 4 references.