Co-constructing conversations about suicide: the Meeting Space Framework.

This article draws on research conducted for the author's doctoral thesis. It presents the development of the Meeting Space Framework to address what is needed to engage in meaningful conversations about suicide, from the perspective of student nurses. An interpretive methodology of constructivist grounded theory was used, underpinned by the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism. The core category of Meeting Spaces resulted; engaging in meaningful conversations about suicide is co-created in illuminating space within the context of a human pivotal encounter (positive) as opposed to an unceremonious pivotal encounter (negative). A certain kind of space is required to support engagement in meaningful conversations about suicide. It requires humanness and an intention and ability to see the whole person beyond the limiting word of 'suicide'.

Identifying nurses' needs in relation to suicide awareness and prevention.

Aim To gain insight into nurses' suicide awareness and prevention training, their confidence in engaging in conversations about suicide, and the barriers and enablers affecting their engagement and future training in this area. Method An electronic survey was carried out with members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). A total of 415 RCN members responded to the survey. The survey included qualitative and quantitative questions about barriers to engaging in conversations about suicide, and nurses' suicide awareness and prevention training needs. A thematic analysis was undertaken to identify the main themes. Findings Respondents identified several barriers to engaging in conversations about suicide, including: lack of time and resources; lack of skills, training and knowledge; insufficient service provision; and stigma. A range of suicide awareness and prevention training needs were identified, such as pre and post-registration training to increase nurses' knowledge and skills, regular updates of evidence-based approaches, structured supervision and debriefs. Conclusion It is important for issues related to suicide to be addressed in all fields of nursing, and to be included in the pre-registration nurse education curriculum. Staff should be supported in developing the skills they already have and using their interactions with others to improve their confidence in undertaking conversations about suicide.

The art of noticing: essential to nursing practice.

Noticing is integral to the everyday practice of nurses; it is the pre-cursor for clinical reasoning, informing judgement and the basis of care. By noticing the nurse can pre-empt possible risks or support subtle changes towards recovery. Noticing can be the activity that stimulates action before words are exchanged, pre-empting need. In this article, the art of noticing is explored in relation to nursing practice and how the failure to notice can have serious consequences for those in care.