Nursing assessment of patients in the suicide risk protocol at the Martí i Julià Adult Mental Health Centre in Santa Coloma de Gramenet

Abstract

Introduction: the Suicide Risk Code (SRC) is a programme of proactive follow-up of people who present a significant risk of suicide, in which mental health nurse specialists intervene with people who have made suicide attempts. The role of the nurse specialist, through the therapeutic relationship with the patient, is essential for the prevention of future episodes. Objective: to determine the profile of patients under SRC follow-up from a nursing perspective. Methodology: a descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was carried out. The population consisted of 88 patients who were activated in the SRC protocol at the Martí i Julià Adult Mental Health Centre (AMHC) in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, between March 2014 and October 2016. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, the MINI (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) and PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire) scales, health patterns and nursing diagnoses were collected. Results: the mean age of the sample was 43.57 years and 73% were women. 51% of the patients had a history of suicide attempts and 39% presented adjustment-type disorders. Among the methods used, pharmacological overdose stands out in 70% of cases. The most prevalent nursing diagnoses were: compromised family coping (24%), hopelessness (20%) and anxiety (15%). Conclusion: mental health nurse specialists are qualified for the development, implementation and evaluation of suicide prevention strategies. It is observed that the dropout rate increases as the months of follow-up pass. In future research, it is essential to focus on continuous patient follow-up to improve prevention strategies.