The suicide rate in Quebec is among the highest in the industrialized world. The risk of death from suicide is also higher in people with a mental health problem (such as major depression and schizophrenia). Furthermore, it is estimated that 80% of people who commit suicide consult at least one resource from the health and social services network within the 12 months leading up to their suicide.

Nurses in particular are confronted with this reality. Through their professional activities, they must regularly face people who present suicidal thoughts, who are going through a time of crisis or who have tried to take their own lives.

This is why the Nursing Directorates at the six Quebec psychiatric hospital centres—Pierre-Janet Hospital Centre, Robert-Giffard Hospital Centre, Douglas Hospital, Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and Philippe-Pinel Institute of Montréal—have pooled their expertise and resources to produce a document called Prévention et gestion des conduites suicidaires en milieu hospitalier psychiatrique [Prevention and management of suicidality in the psychiatric hospital environment] along with various other clinical tools (such as pamphlets and CD-ROMs).

This document proposes an approach to the prevention and management of suicidality that allows nurses to:

• Systematically screen for suicidal risk.
• Methodically evaluate suicidality on a continued basis.
• Ensure effective clinical monitoring.
• Improve intervention strategies to prevent and manage suicidality in people with a mental health problem.
• Ensure the safety of people at risk, particularly at the time of discharge from hospital and with the help of relatives and external resources.

Through these actions, all those involved can take on leadership roles to help develop best practices and share relevant knowledge.

Source: Jean Lepage, Communications and Community Relations Counsellor, Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital