Experiences of Mental Health Nurses in Providing Care to Inpatients With Suicidal Behaviours in Psychiatric Care Settings: A Meta‐Synthesis of Qualitative Research Studies

Understanding the context and challenges of psychiatric nursing care is essential for optimising patient outcomes and ensuring effective suicide prevention. While mental health nurses play a pivotal role in caring for inpatients with suicidal behaviours, research on their experiences and perspectives remains fragmented. This study aimed to synthesise qualitative studies on the experiences of mental health nurses in providing care to inpatients with suicidal behaviours. Manual searches were performed across five electronic databases. Nine eligible studies were identified and analysed using the thematic meta-synthesis approach proposed by Thomas and Harden. Four main themes were identified, as follows: (a) clinical challenges and limitations in managing suicidal behaviours; (b) negative emotional responses and strategies to cope with patient suicidal behaviours; (c) a strong sense of responsibility for patient safety as mental health nurses; and (d) a patient-centred approach in psychiatric nursing practice for patients with suicidal behaviour. This meta-synthesis highlights the critical role of mental health nurses in providing care to patients with suicidal behaviours, emphasising challenges such as unpredictable suicide risk, perceived lack of professional competence, emotional distress and the struggles of patient safety. Enhancing the effectiveness of mental health nurses' suicide prevention services may require implementing structured training for suicide behaviour management, establishing institutional support systems, adopting a patient-centred nursing care approach, and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration focused on psychiatric care and patient outcomes.