The Experiences of Nursing Students While Caring for Patients at Risk for Suicide: A Descriptive Phenomenology

Nurses have many opportunities to screen patients and intervene to prevent patient suicide. This study used Moustakas’ transcendental descriptive phenomenology method to generate a description of the experiences of student nurses while caring for patients at risk for suicide. Fourteen bachelor of science in nursing graduates with experience in caring for suicidal patients were recruited from two universities and interviewed once. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed, and five themes were identified. In nursing education, greater and earlier emphasis on suicide prevention and crisis intervention may help prepare nurses for their vital role. These findings have implications for nursing education, nursing practice, and patient health outcomes.