Abstract
BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the complex public health issues that impose a heavy emotional and economic burden on societies. Nurses, as the front-line care providers for suicidal patients, play a pivotal role in the prevention and management of this phenomenon. This study aimed to determine the relationship between attitudes towards suicidal patients and the caring behavior of emergency and intensive care nurses at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Iran in 2024. METHODS: This was a descriptive-analytical study conducted on 284 nurses in emergency and intensive care units that were selected through purposive sampling due to suicidal care experience. Data collection tools included the Attitude towards Suicide questionnaire (ATTS-31) and the Caring Dimensions Inventory (CDI-25). Data analysis was performed using SPSS v22 using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean scores of attitudes towards suicide and caring dimensions among the participants were 124.22 (± 7.64) and 105.97 (± 6.73), respectively. A positive and significant correlation was observed between attitude towards patient care and caring behaviors, with a correlation coefficient r = 0.662 (p < 0.001). In addition, older age and greater work experience were significant predictors of more favorable attitudes (p < 0.05). Interestingly, nurses who reported a personal history of suicidal ideation demonstrated better caring behaviors (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: According to the findings, the attitudes and individual experiences are related to the professional performance of nursing healthcare providers. Therefore, as attitudes of nurses towards suicide become more favorable, higher quality of care is expected. It is recommended to provide organizational support and design educational programs in healthcare systems to modify attitudes and empower nurses to address suicidal care based on the necessary care dimensions.