Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the evidence available in the literature on the assistance provided by the Urgent and Emergency Service to people attempting suicide. This is an integrative review carried out between February and June 2023 in the databases Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (PubMed) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), using controlled and uncontrolled descriptors. Articles were included in full and available free of charge, which were in accordance with the proposed theme and objective, published in Portuguese, English or Spanish, between 2019 and 2023. It was shown that the number of suicide attempts increases over the years. The profile of patients with suicide attempts treated in urgency and emergency units depends on each location. In some units the majority are men and in others the majority are women, both young. Women use exogenous intoxication or poisoning as a trial method and men use hanging or sharp objects. The importance of the multidisciplinary and nursing team in welcoming and caring for these patients and preventing repetitive suicide attempts was observed. Underreporting of cases is still present, as well as the lack of professional qualifications and the use of care tools or protocols. It is believed that this study can contribute to improving the qualification of professionals by training institutions in serving this clientele, as well as contributing to the adoption of tools, instruments and care protocols, both by hospital institutions and by public policies, to reflect on improving the quality of care provided to patients attempting suicide.

Keywords

suicide, suicide attempt, nursing, emergency services, health care.