Uniting nursing theory and current practice to manage suicide in Canada

Abstract

During the last thirty years, more than 100,000 Canadians have died by suicide, remaining one of Canada's critical public health concerns. According to the World Health Organization there is one suicide every forty seconds worldwide, an increase of 60% since 1950. Suicide is the single greatest source of violent deaths internationally, generating more deaths per annum than casualties of war and homicides combined. Twenty-five years ago, Canada's National Task Force on Suicide investigated the suicide phenomenon and created its first report in pursuance of the development of better policies. The exploration for suicide risk factors (variables that denote an increased probability for suicide) has been embarked on by a variety of researchers and clinicians, but Canada's suicide rate still exceeds the average in comparison to other countries. Although this Canadian public health crisis persists and escalates each year, it is a preventable concern that requires a new methodology.   The purpose of this journal article is to explore and examine ethical issues surrounding the suicide epidemic in Canada. It will review the changes in Canada's prevention and treatment of suicidality during the last few decades and the challenges that nurses currently face when treating suicidal patients. Additionally, it suggests that suicide may be better managed by utilizing the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicide (CAMS) framework combined with the Human Becoming Theory as a foundation for the nurse clinician; and that qualitative contribution to the treatment of suicide is paramount. This article encourages health care providers to re-evaluate their current suicide risk assessments by not only reviewing nursing theory, but implementing formalized suicide tools. Although this article frequently makes reference to the nursing profession, it is intended to broaden interest in CAMS for a variety of health care specialists in the mental health arena. Therefore, the terms’ nurse and health care professional are used interchangeably throughout to address a larger audience.