Females nurses are twice as likely to die by suicide than the general population and 70% more likely than female physicians ( Davis et al 2021) .In a cohort study using data collected form the year 2007 to 2018 that included 2,374 nurses and 857 physicians as well as 156,141 individuals in the general population (aged equivalent to 30 years ) demonstrated a suicide incidence rate per 100,000 persons form the year 2007-2018. Among the cohort were 17.1 % nurses and 10.1 for physicians and 8.6 of women from the general population ( JAMA, 2021). For male nurses and physicians were the following data in the cohort : incidence ratie of 100.000 form the year 2007-2018 31.1 % of male nurses and 31.5% of physicans , suicide ates for the general population were 32.6 % ( JAMA,2021).
Findings - Suicide risk for nurses were significantly increased for nuses but not for physicians when compared to the general population. Researcher commentary " The takeaway from the study suggests that the focus were on physians welfare and nurse welfare are ignored as a workforce . There are about three million nurses in the United States of which 85% are female . When we do the math of these 85% of existant female nurses the risk of suicide are 82% of there total . This is alarming and can be concidered an occupational Health and Safety crisis. The analyzed mortality rate data from the CDC stemming from the year 2007 to 2018 identifyed 2,374 suicides among nurses and 857 suicides among Physicians , as well as 156,141 within the general population .
The study illustrated that the need for high quality health and recreation programs must be implemented into the nurse field of nursing and that we have to re think the disipline . Nurse workforce however are not the only disipline to demonstarte these behavioral issues , another workforce that have demonstarted these types of behavior risks in the past are Fire Fighters so what are some of the causes ?
Causes for suicide ideation
1- Less autonomy in there work 2- Pandemic 3- Chld care 4-Shift work 5- Personal relationships 6- Reduced staffing .
Nurses are 20 to 30 more likely to be depressed than the general public and half of all suicide among nurses are from self inflicted gun shot . Overdose is more common and pathological evaluation reveled that both physicans and nurses alike had opiotes , benzodiazapines and barbiturates in there system upon the performance of pathological study.
Greater need for behavioral health awareness among health care professionals is recommended because the most common reasons for behavior change are : a) low blood sugar b) lack of oxygene c) inadequate blood flow to the brain d) head trauma e) mind altering substances f) psychogeneic illness g) excessive cold h) excessive heat . So it is also recommeded that further research and analysis be performed and mear performance appraisals are not cutting it.
References
Davis, M.A ; Benjamine,A.Y ; Cher , Friese, C.R (2021) Association of US Nurse and Phjysican Occupation with Risk of Suicide . Journal of Medicine JAMA. USA
NSC (2021) First Aid and CPR . National Safety Council 3rd ed pg 395 (Behavioral Emergencies ) .
