TY - JOUR
T1 - Hospice and palliative social workers' experiences with clients at risk of suicide
AU - Washington, Karla T.
AU - Albright, David L.
AU - Parker Oliver, Debra
AU - Gage, L. Ashley
AU - Lewis, Alexandria
AU - Mooney, Megan J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Cambridge University Press 2016.
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Objective: We sought to determine the frequency with which hospice and palliative social workers encounter patients, family caregivers, and other clients at risk of suicide, and to discover the extent to which hospice and palliative social workers feel prepared to address issues related to suicide in their professional practice. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospice and palliative social workers, recruiting a convenience sample of volunteer respondents through advertisements at professional conferences and listservs, and via social media accounts associated with national organizations, state hospice and palliative care associations, and individual healthcare professionals. Results: Most respondents reported having worked with patients, family caregivers, or other clients who had exhibited warning signs of suicide during the previous year. Fewer respondents indicated that they had worked with patients and family members who had attempted or died by suicide. While the majority of respondents believed they possessed sufficient knowledge and skills to intervene effectively with individuals at risk of suicide, they indicated that additional education on this topic would be valuable for their professional practice. Significance of results: These study results suggest that suicide-related competencies are important in the practice of hospice and palliative social work. Future education and training efforts should include skill development in addition to knowledge building.
AB - Objective: We sought to determine the frequency with which hospice and palliative social workers encounter patients, family caregivers, and other clients at risk of suicide, and to discover the extent to which hospice and palliative social workers feel prepared to address issues related to suicide in their professional practice. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospice and palliative social workers, recruiting a convenience sample of volunteer respondents through advertisements at professional conferences and listservs, and via social media accounts associated with national organizations, state hospice and palliative care associations, and individual healthcare professionals. Results: Most respondents reported having worked with patients, family caregivers, or other clients who had exhibited warning signs of suicide during the previous year. Fewer respondents indicated that they had worked with patients and family members who had attempted or died by suicide. While the majority of respondents believed they possessed sufficient knowledge and skills to intervene effectively with individuals at risk of suicide, they indicated that additional education on this topic would be valuable for their professional practice. Significance of results: These study results suggest that suicide-related competencies are important in the practice of hospice and palliative social work. Future education and training efforts should include skill development in addition to knowledge building.
KW - Hospice
KW - Palliative care
KW - Social work
KW - Suicide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84969835251&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1478951516000171
DO - 10.1017/S1478951516000171
M3 - Article
C2 - 27212393
AN - SCOPUS:84969835251
VL - 14
SP - 664
EP - 671
JO - Palliative & supportive care
JF - Palliative & supportive care
SN - 1478-9515
IS - 6
ER -