Implications for Nursing Practice
Although the guideline may be very useful for
nurses with little experience in caring for suicidal
patients, it is our perception that experienced nurses
who care for patients with schizophrenia can also
benefit from the guideline. Using the guideline as a
standard of care asserts that issues relevant to suicide
risk are covered, and it prevents nurses from becoming
overconfident about a phenomenon that is complex in
nature and can have as far-reaching consequences as
suicidality. Training in using the guideline should
dedicate ample time to adapting the example phrases
and questions of the SAs to one’s personal communication
style in order to enable integration in a naturally
flowing conversation. Furthermore, during training, it
must be communicated that there is no scientific evidence
to support the idea that discussing suicidality
triggers or increases suicidal thoughts, intent, or
behavior. Coaching and intervision/supervision may
be required to further enhance successful implementation
of the guideline.