TY - JOUR PY - 2023// TI - Clinician attitudes toward suicide prevention practices and their implementation: findings from the System of Safety Study JO - Psychiatric services A1 - Larkin, Celine A1 - Kiefe, Catarina I. A1 - Morena, Alexandra L. A1 - Rahmoun, Mhd B. A1 - Lazar, Peter A1 - Sefair, Ana Vallejo A1 - Boudreaux, Edwin D. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - OBJECTIVE: The authors aimed to assess clinicians' attitudes toward suicide-related practices and their implementation, across roles and settings, before implementation of the Zero Suicide model in a health care system.

METHODS: Clinicians (N=5,559) were invited to complete a survey assessing demographic characteristics; confidence and self-reported suicide-related practice; leadership buy-in; and attitudes toward suicide prevention, safety planning, and continuous quality improvement (CQI).

RESULTS: Of 1,224 respondents, most felt confident conducting suicide screening but less confident performing other suicide-related care. Provider role and care setting were significantly associated with confidence (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis H test) and practice (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis H test) of providing suicide prevention care, with behavioral health providers and providers in the emergency department (ED) reporting the highest confidence. Attitudes toward safety planning were more positive among women (p<0.001, t test) and behavioral health providers (p<0.001, F test) than among their counterparts or peers. Positive attitudes toward CQI were significantly associated with male sex (p=0.01), non-White race (p=0.03), younger age (p=0.02), fewer years working in health care (p<0.001), administrative role (p<0.001), working in the ED (p<0.001), outpatient settings (p<0.02), and medical provider role (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral health providers and those in the ED reported feeling prepared to deliver suicide-related care, with nurses feeling less confident and less supported. Initiatives to improve suicide-related care should account for clinical role and care setting during planning. CQI could help engage a broader range of clinicians in suicide-related care improvements.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1075-2730 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20230082 ID - ref1 ER -