RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Experience of Healthcare Practitioners with Mental Health Patients at

Risk of Self-Harm or Suicide

Abstract

The evaluation of suicidal risk has received a significant attention, but unable to receive success. Access to means, mental disorder, family status, social class, employment, sex and age are often used to examine or predict the suicidal behaviour in the future. Contradicting perspective asserted that identifying people who are at risk or are probable to kill them during the week, day or the next hour is quite challenging. Terms, such as “constant observation,” “continuous,” “constant,” “special” or “maximum observation” are employed to define and explain a widespread psychiatric nursing strategy. High levels of observations necessitate themes that link all these terms, along with some extent of belongingness and/or freedom removal to prevent self-harm or suicide. These strategies can be seen either defensive of the reputation of the institution or individual, or protective for the safety of the patient.

Quantitative data collected through the questionnaire will be used to study and understand the experience of nurses in a close observational setting. The significance of this research is to illustrate various issues that nurses encountered in the care provisions in close-observation, as well as the subsequent need for essential changes. For example, literature review reveal a lack of uniformity among hospitals of the name given to constant observations and a little research has been done to equate its usefulness.

This report will begin with systematic literature search, rationale and follow by a critical review of current literature on “Constant Observations,” which entails emergent themes. A summary of the findings will thereafter be given from the reviewed literature. The aim and objectives of the research proposal will be identified; proposed study design and method are discussed. Access and sampling, methods of data collection to be used will be identified and follow by reliability and validity, methodological rigour, ethical considerations, analysis and estimated timeframe and cost outlined. The report will be concluded with a summary of the work.

Key words: “Close Observations,” “Constant,” Special,” “Continuous,” “Qualitative,” “Quantitative research.”

Abstractii

Introduction1

Rationale3

Aim4

Objective4

Study Limitations4

Implications for Clinical Practice5

Background Literature5

Research Methodology8

Research Design8

Access and Sampling9

Method of Data Collection10

Questionnaire10

Reliability and Validity12

Ethical Considerations13

Data Analysis14

Qualitative Data Analysis14

Quantitative Data Analysis15

Estimated Timeframe and Cost16

Estimated Timeframe16

Estimated Costs17

Conclusion17

References18

Experience of Healthcare Practitioners with Mental Health Patients at

Risk of Self-Harm or Suicide

Introduction

Patients are sometimes admitted to an acute in-patient psychiatric ward after attempting suicide or if they are experiencing suicide ideation or expressing self-harm behaviour. Clinical nurses working in these units deal with a range of suicidal and other self-harm behaviour such as high risk behaviour, threats of suicide, suicidal attempts, and suicidal ideation. Therefore, a range of interventions may be used to ensure their safety, treatment and care of such patient within a psychiatric in-patient ward (Neilson and Brennan, 2001, pp.147-155).

Page (2006, pp.34-38) says that the process of nursing observation has emerged from the traditional nursing practice of nursing examining wellbeing and safety of patients. The complexities nurses face in maintaining the patient's safety that have undergone disturbed behavioural presentation, and definitely have exponentially greater in their medical history, ...