[Nursing Experience Using Watson's Caring Theory to Mitigate Suicidal Behaviors in a Homosexual Male]

Abstract

This report describes our experience providing nursing care between 7th October and 7th November 2016 to a homosexual male who repeatedly engaged in stress-related suicide attempts and self-harm. Information was collected using comprehensive nursing assessment, observation, and interviews and the health problems of ineffective coping and disabled family coping were identified. Because of affection-related distress and the lack of recognition of his gender orientation by his family, the client engaged repeatedly in self-harm and attempted suicide on several occasions in order to cope with the self-perceived unbearable stress and stressful situations. The authors provided nursing care based on Watson's theory of human caring. We fulfilled the nature of caring, prompted respect and acceptance, and established a therapeutic, interpersonal relationship. We also adopted the concept of suicide intervention, and used the protective factors as the main coping strategies. These approaches allowed the client to acknowledge the events and reactions that may trigger his suicidal ideas, to develop better self-reflection and impulse control, and to mitigate the ideas and behaviors related to suicide and self-harm. Because constant conflicts between the client and his parents hampered a harmonious family relationship, we adopted family-centered care in order to enhance family resilience, which created room for mutual learning and development and reconstructed a healthy family relationship. Our successful results with this case encouraged our writing this paper in order to share this nursing experience with caregivers facing similar client situations and needs.

Keywords: Jean Watson's theory of human caring; homosexual male; repeated suicide and deliberate self-harm.