suicide? Is this a trend with new nurses that can not cope?

SnowShoeRN · Sep 30, 2016

I'm wondering if you have known other new grads who have committed suicide. Your title says "trend" which suggests that several new grad nurses are killing themselves over pressure and/or bullying on their floors. I've not read this, but would like to learn more if that is something that seems to be happening in many places.

I've quit a job due to lateral violence. I think true bullying which is meant to be spiteful and hurtlful is a problem across professions (but moreso in nursing where such actions carry a heavier weight in terms of affecting not only those who are bullied but also patient treatment as well) that needs to be addressed from the top of the organization as well as not let to exist in a culture of secrecy where people are afraid to step forward and address injustices shown to their co-workers. How did you intervene when she was encountering bullying?

However, I don't think we have enough of this person's story to truly know what it was that drove her to commit suicide. Generally people who are unhappy and have suicidal tendencies are so and do so regardless of their circumstances. That is, people who have "everything to live for" kill themselves as well as people who have nothing. I also wonder what she meant when she said she felt she was a danger to patients. Did she feel like she wasn't competent re her training/ICU ability or was she having homicidal/"angel of death" ideations that frightened her and thus led to transferance contributing to her suicide?

If this was someone who didn't have any mental illness prior to working on the floor and subsequently developed mental illness because of her job then she should have notified someone and/or her family and friends. If the lateral violence was as bad as you describe, I also hope other co-workers would have stepped in to help her. Is your place of employment doing anything now to address the lateral violence? Has EAP stepped in somehow? I would hope that the unit is at least putting together a couple of meetings for the staff if they believe the bullying was a true contributer.

As it stands, I don't feel like I know enough of the situation to really say what contributed to what and how things could have been done differently. Nonetheless, I am sorry to hear of this young woman's death. I have lost a friend to suicide and it isn't a pain I wish on anyone.

Sour Lemon · Sep 30, 2016

A new grad, young nurse landed her DREAM job. Or what she thought would be her dream job in ICU. After orientation and on her own, she quit and said she thought she was dangerous and could kill a patient. The training was poor and the bullying was second to worst I have seen. That day she went home and gave up her life. Later, her parents notified the floor/ unit.
Now, obviously not every nurse under these circumstances has the same outcome. But, what can be done to change the (mean-girl- middle school) culture on floor? Who do you complain to? Who recognizes this as an issue with not just that nurse but many whom have left the floor for the same reasons?
How do you cope, who should be there to help nurses cope? Has this happened where you work?

A new tend? ...not even close. It sounds like that individual had very serious issues long before becoming a nurse.

elysRN · Sep 30, 2016

A new tend? ...not even close. It sounds like that individual had very serious issues long before becoming a nurse.

I am am seeing a trend. That's why I asked. Colleges are offering classes to teach hope to cope. Google it

Sour Lemon · Sep 30, 2016

I am am seeing a trend. That's why I asked. Colleges are offering classes to teach hope to cope. Google it

I am not. That's why I answered. The things one can "learn" on google are often beyond ridiculous. Any dim-wit can write something on a website ...and some of them are quite good at sounding "official".

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 30, 2016

We haven't had any new nurses commit suicide at my hospital.

If you say there is a trend ... let's see the data.

I am not going to add to the burden already on the shoulders of our nursing staff by saying they are to blame for the emotional troubles of everyone who enters the field of nursing. To promote the idea that this one person's death is not fair to them -- unless there is a lot more to the story than we have been told by the OP. To promote the idea that we as a profession are responsible for everyone's emotional reactions without evidence is grossly unfair and irresponsible.

BrighterdaysRN · Sep 30, 2016

I haven't heard of this at all. I have heard of a couple of instances of long-time nurses committing suicide after they make fatal mistakes, and even that seems rare.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 30, 2016

A new tend? ...not even close. It sounds like that individual had very serious issues long before becoming a nurse.

Yes, please give sources before citing a "trend." Otherwise, you are just inciting hysteria in an online forum.

SnowShoeRN · Sep 30, 2016

I am am seeing a trend. That's why I asked. Colleges are offering classes to teach hope to cope. Google it

I haven't found anything either. Do you have journal articles from studies or health organizations (CDC, NIMH, etc)? I know that suicide among health care professionals is higher than among the general population, but I can't find anything on new grads nor have I heard anything in my nursing and medical circles.

SnowShoeRN · Sep 30, 2016

Accidental double post.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Sep 30, 2016

I'm not a nurse yet, and I struggle with depression. Making statements like this can be pretty damaging to people in situations like mine. I'd like to see some evidence of this claim.

Meeshie · Sep 30, 2016

I had a neighbor that was a NICU nurse for many many years. He was unstable and didn't get the help he needed. After he retired he had nighmares about dead babies pretty much nightly. He drank and did drugs and ultimately ended his life because he couldn't cope. It's a sad and horrifying story. It goes to show that not everyone should work in the NICU and that self assessment is important.

It doesn't mean that all NICU nurses are suicidal or can't handle what they do.

One person is not all people. One nurse is not all nurses. One new grad is not all new grads.