News
Suicide risk: nurses’ stories expose gaps in workplace support
Nurses who have experienced suicidal ideation describe the workplace pressures that led to them consider ending their lives, including relentless caseload, service-user violence, and lack of management support. They discuss the impact of negative workplace culture and how lack of supervision and debriefings, plus managers’ unsupportive attitudes, contributed to their feelings of despair. A mental health charity for healthcare workers has seen a rise in demand for its services. The RCN said the nurses’ personal accounts of having suicidal thoughts show that intensified nursing workloads require better mental healthcare for staff. There are links to sources of support for nurses struggling with anxiety, depression or suicidal ideation.
Image
