Researchers from the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine conducted the first national longitudinal investigation on nurse suicide in over 20 years, and published their results in June 2019.
The researchers found a suicide incidence of 11.97 per 100,000 people among female nurses. For American women in general, the incidence is 7.58 per 100,000 people. Women overwhelmingly make up the profession, but male nurses are also more likely to commit suicide than men in general, the study found.
While researchers often document burnout and suicide among physicians, very few spend time assessing the state of nursing, lead researcher Judy Davidson told MedPage Today.
"Nurses are known not to care for themselves as much as they care for others," Davidson, a nurse scientist, told the publication. "It's just a part of who we are."