Suicide preventive strategies for the nursing team in the COVID-19: a scoping review

Vargas, Divane de; Lima, Ana Vitória Corrêa; Silva Filho, José Adelmo da; Oliveira, Sheila Ramos de; Aguilar, Thiago Faustino; Pereira, Caroline Figueira

doi:10.37689/acta-ape/2023AR006822

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Acta Paulista de Enfermagem

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Review Article • Acta Paul Enferm 36 • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.37689/acta-ape/2023AR006822 copy

Suicide preventive strategies for the nursing team in the COVID-19: a scoping review

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objective

To identify strategies for the prevention of suicidal ideation and suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic for the nursing team.

Methods

Scoping review performed in PubMed, VHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, LILACS, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO databases and in the gray literature, such as Google Scholar.

Results

This review comprises 11 articles, all published in English, mostly in year 2021 in the United States of America. The identified strategies include psychoeducation; spaces for embracement of professionals’ demands, listening, support and promotion of wellbeing; mental health assessment and screening; referral to specialized support services; psychological intervention and counseling; strategies for recognizing and dealing with triggers, emotions and negative thoughts; self-care actions, among others.

Conclusion

Strategies that had a positive impact on the mental health of nursing teams were the creation of spaces for embracement of professionals’ demands, listening, support and promotion of wellbeing, and the assessment and screening of mental health as ways of preventing suicidal actions and ideations. The importance of studies that evaluate the effect of strategies on the mental health of nursing teams stands out, so that protocols can be created to mitigate the problem.

Suicide; Nursing, team; Mental health; Occupational health; COVID-19; Pandemics

Database	Search strategy	n
PUBMED	(suicid* OR parasuicid* OR para-suicid* OR overdos* OR selfharm* OR self-harm* Suicide OR “Suicidal Ideation”) AND (nurs* OR midwi* OR “student* nurs” OR “student midwi*” OR “health visitor”) AND Covid-19	144
BVS	((Suicídio OR Suicide OR Suicidio) OR (“Ideação Suicida” OR “Suicidal Ideation” OR “Ideación Suicida”)) AND (Nurs* OR Enferm*) AND Covid-19	561
CINAHL	(suicid* OR parasuicid* OR para-suicid* OR overdos* OR selfharm* OR self-harm* Suicide OR “Suicidal Ideation”) AND (nurs* OR midwi* OR “student* nurs” OR “student midwi*” OR “health visitor”) AND (Covid-19 OR SARS-CoV-2)	63
EMBASE	(suicide OR ‘suicidal ideation’) AND (‘coronavirus disease 2019’ OR ‘covid 19’ OR ‘sars cov 2’ OR ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2’) AND nurs*	129
Web of Science	(suicide OR ‘suicidal ideation’) AND (‘coronavirus disease 2019’ OR ‘covid 19’) AND nurs*	113
SCOPUS	(suicide OR {suicidal ideation}) AND (covid-19) AND nurs*	59
PSYCINFO	(suicid* OR parasuicid* OR para-suicid* OR overdos* OR selfharm* OR self-harm* Suicide OR “Suicidal Ideation”) AND (nurs* OR midwi* OR “student* nurs” OR “student midwi*” OR “health visitor”) AND (Covid-19 OR SARS-CoV-2)	36
Gray literature	(suicid* OR parasuicid* OR para-suicid* OR overdos* OR selfharm* OR self-harm* Suicide OR “Suicidal Ideation”) AND (nurs* OR midwi* OR “student* nurs” OR “student midwi*” OR “health visitor”) AND Covid-19	632

Authors	Year/ Country	Methods	Objective	Population
Grabbe L. et al (¹⁶16. Grabbe L, Higgins MK, Baird M, Pfeiffer KM. Impact of a resiliency training to support the mental well-being of front-line workers: brief report of a quasi-experimental study of the community resiliency model. Med Care. 2021;59(7):616-21.)	2021/ USA	Quasi-experimental	To evaluate the impact of a simple mental wellbeing and emotion regulation training, the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), using a convenience sample of frontline professionals.	Frontline workers: nurses, physicians, nursing students, hospital pharmacists, chaplains, and community mental health/social service providers. (n=104)
Ornell F. et al (¹⁷17. Ornell F, Halpern SC, Kessler FH, Narvaez JC. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals. Cad Saude Publica. 2020;36(4):e00063520.)	2020/ Brazil	Review	To point the problems and mental suffering of health professionals during the pandemic and identify the need for interventions aimed at reducing damage to psychological health.	Health professionals, such as nurses, nursing technicians and physicians.
Choflet A. et al (¹⁸18. Choflet A, Barnes A, Zisook S, Lee KC, Ayers C, Koivula D, et al. The nurse leader’s role in nurse substance use, mental health, and suicide in a peripandemic world. Nurs Adm Q. 2022;46(1):19-28.)	2022/ USA	Review	To review the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the strategic planning approach to identify nurses’ needs, and promising interventions and practices.	Nurses who worked on the front lines of COVID-19.
Jahan I. et al (¹⁹19. Jahan I, Ullah I, Griffiths MD, Mamun MA. COVID-19 suicide and its causative factors among the healthcare professionals: case study evidence from press reports. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2021;57(4):1707-11.)	2021/ India	Retrospective	To investigate the factors associated between suicide and COVID-19 of health workers around the world that were reported in print media.	Physicians, nurses, paramedics and medical students.
Heath J. et al (²⁰20. Heath J, Villaran T, Welch B, Manson D. Kentucky Nurses Association leaders speak out about mental health and wellness for nurses during the pandemic – statewide effort to prevent nurse suicide. Kentucky Nurse (KY NURSE). 2021;69(2):11.)	2021/ USA	Protocol	To guide nurses on mental health and suicide prevention during the pandemic.	Frontline nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shah M. et al (²¹21. Shah M, Roggenkamp M, Ferrer L, Burger V, Brassil KJ. Mental health and COVID-19: the psychological implications of a pandemic for nurses. Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2021;25(1):69-75.)	2021/ USA	Literature review	To explore potential psychological sequelae of nursing during the pandemic and provide recommendations for psychological support and a healthy work environment.	Oncology nurses at a hospital in New York.
Awan S. et al (²²22. Awan S, Diwan MN, Aamir A, Allahuddin Z, Irfan M, Carano A, et al. Suicide in healthcare workers: determinants, challenges, and the impact of COVID-19. Front Psychiatry. 2022;12:792925. Review.)	2021/ Pakistan	Literature review	To identify risk factors for suicide among healthcare workers, discuss the mental health challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic and their impact on suicidal ideation.	Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, young physicians and frontline workers.
Gilmore K (²³23. Gilmore K. When the provider needs a provider. Columbia, SC: The South Carolina Nurse; 2021. 16 p. [cited 2022 Mar 29]. Available from: https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=f00d6eff-8977-4193-90d9-2ee3158802db%40redis&bdata=Jmxhbmc9cHQtYnImc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl#AN=152480534&db=c8h Accessed https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail... )	2021/ USA	Opinion article	To indicate strategies to combat suicide/self-harm, anxiety and depression for nurses.	Nurses.
Kapilan N (¹⁰10. Kapilan N. Suicides cases among nurses in India due to COVID-19 and possible prevention strategies. Asian J Psychiatr. 2020;54:102434.)	2020/ India	Letter to the Editor	To report suicide cases among professional nurses in India and discuss possible strategies.	Nurses from India.
Berry PA (²⁴24. Berry PA. Combatting nurse suicide. Prof Case Manag. 2021;26(5):255-7.)	2021/ USA	Opinion article	To indicate strategies to combat suicide among nurses in the period of COVID-19 to case managers (nursing coordinators).	Nurses.
Xu X. et al(²⁵25. Xu X, Wang W, Chen J, Ai M, Shi L, Wang L, et al. Suicidal and self-harm ideation among Chinese hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence and correlates. Psychiatry Res. 2021;296:113654.)	2021/ China	Cross-sectional study	To investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and self-harm and their related factors among professionals in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.	Physicians, nurses, technicians, administrators and others from 46 hospitals in China (n=11,507).

Classification	Strategies	Articles
Promotion	Psychoeducation	(16,17)
	Spaces for embracement of professionals’ demands, listening, support and promotion of wellbeing	(17-19; 21,22,24)
	Self-care actions	(20)
Prevention	Referral to support or specialized services	(22-25)
	Psychological intervention and counseling	(10,17,25)
	Strategies training to recognize and deal with triggers, emotions and negative thoughts	(16,25)
	Actions for the protection and mitigation of COVID-19	(19,21)
	Practices to strengthen the role of nurses	(10,19)
Promotion and prevention	Mental health assessment and screening	(19,21,22,24,25)
	Spaces for embracement of professionals’ demands, listening, support and promotion of wellbeing	(17-19,21,22,24)
	Other strategies	(17,18,20,22)

Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo R. Napoleão de Barros, 754, 04024-002 São Paulo - SP/Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 5576 4430 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: actapaulista@unifesp.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Corresponding author: Divane de Vargas E-mail: vargas@usp.br