Perceptions of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills about Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Survey of Emergency and Mental Health Nurses

Objective: The purpose of the study is to assess emergency department and mental health nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and skills related to non-suicidal self-injuries. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted in this study. The study used the convenient sampling method to recruit a sample of 195 emergency department and mental health nurses from three different settings; the psychiatric mental health hospital, King Fahad hospital, and King Khaled hospital in Tabuk city. To collect data, the study used the questionnaire that consisted of two parts: the socio-demographic part and the knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to non-suicidal self-injuries (27 statements). Result: The results of the study showed that emergency department and mental health nurses had a moderate level of knowledge about non-suicidal self-injuries (30.95±9.90), a high level of skills related to non-suicidal self-injuries (26.5±5.2), and neutral attitudes towards non-suicidal self-injuries (35.5±7.15). In addition, it was found that there was a significant statistical difference in knowledge about non-suicidal self-injuries referred to gender, unit/department, and receiving formal training about non-suicidal self-injuries. Moreover, it was found that there was a significant statistical difference in the mental health and emergency department nurses’ skills related to non-suicidal self-injuries referred to participants’ receiving formal training related to non-suicidal self-injuries, and there were significant statistical difference in attitudes towards non-suicidal self-injuries between nurses referred to unit/department, working institution, and receiving formal training related to non-suicidal self-injuries. Conclusion: The study concluded that emergency department and mental health nurses in Saudi Arabia have moderate level of knowledge, high level of skills and neutral attitudes towards non-suicidal Self-Injury.