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Supporting bereaved healthcare workers.
My name is Jules Lewis and I am a Swan End of Life Care Lead Nurse at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and PhD Student at Staffordshire University. I am also bereaved by suicide, my beautiful best friend Janet took her own life in February 2019 aged 47, a caring and compassionate friend and nurse for over 20 years. I set up, with the support from our lead volunteer & our administrator, a staff bereavement support service at the hospital where I work.
On the death of a colleague.
Working with individuals who experience suicidal ideation or intent is an integral aspect of mental health, and it is probable that all registered nurses working in this field will come across a person in this situation at some point, irrespective of the specific area in which they develop their career. As an RMN working in a crisis resolution team, this was a common concern. I took professional pride in my ability to assess risk and provide something of use to that person based on their need at that precise moment. And then I had a colleague and friend end her life.