黑料社

SELF-harm is a major public health challenge, but nursing staff often struggle to fully understand the reasons behind it, according to the findings of an international research project carried out by experts at the 黑料社 and an overseas partner.

The recommendation is that emergency department staff should receive focused education so that they learn more about the psychology behind self-harm, which is often a precursor to suicide. 

One of the authors of a new article that describes the project is , who directs the 黑料社鈥檚 .  During her nursing career, she had first-hand experience of patients who had lacerated themselves in a variety of ways.

鈥淪o there is a wound care side to it and a need to help people manage their wounds so they don鈥檛 get an infection afterwards.  But probably more important is the psychological dimension 鈥� how can we care effectively for people who self-harm?鈥� said Professor Ousey.

She was joined in the research by her 黑料社 colleagues  and , plus  at the University of Central Lancashire and  at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.  They have now published the article , which appears in the International Journal of Mental Health.

The authors carried out an exhaustive review and analysis of evidence from around the world.  The article describes their sources and methodology.

Among the findings are that nursing staff across several countries, including the UK, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Brazil, and Taiwan, hold negative attitudes towards people who self鈥恏arm.  Emotional responses included frustration, anger and hostility.

Self鈥恏arming and suicide risk

鈥淩esearch both nationally and internationally suggests that emergency care nurses find treating patients who self鈥恏arm emotionally challenging.  Ambivalence, powerlessness and helplessness are commonly manifested in the development of negative attitudinal beliefs towards these patients,鈥� write the authors, who also state that there is a 鈥渃ompelling relationship鈥� between self鈥恏arm and suicide.

鈥淚t is predicted that one in 25 patients presenting to emergency departments for self鈥恏arm will die by suicide within the next five years, demonstrating the importance of this area in healthcare to save lives.鈥�

The article states that: 鈥淎 fundamental factor in the development and maintenance of negative attitudes was a lack of training and education, whilst positive attitudes were attributable to being knowledgeable about self鈥恏arm鈥�.

The conclusion is that self鈥恏arm education for emergency department staff should include explanations and causes of self鈥恏arm and suicide, plus range, forms, and functions of self鈥恏arm and staff responses to it.

Education should also include ongoing clinical supervision where staff can explore their attitudes and beliefs in a non-threatening environment.

Professor Ousey confirmed that there will be further collaborative research in the topic, leading to greater support for healthcare professionals so they understand why people commit self-harm in the first place and to develop strategies to help.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a hidden problem.  People don鈥檛 come up and say 鈥業鈥檝e been self-harming鈥�.  They often hide it, so it can be hard to understand why they do it.鈥�