Effective Interventions for Reducing Suicidal Ideation in Iranian Nurses: A Systematic Review

Hadi  Yousefi; Fariba Asadi  Noghabi; Saeed  Salari; Ali  Rezvani

doi:10.18502/ssu.v34i2.21587

Hadi Yousefi School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Fariba Asadi Noghabi Mother and Child Welfare Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Saeed Salari School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
Ali Rezvani School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v34i2.21587

Keywords: Suicidal Ideation, Nurses, Burnout, Professional, Psychological Interventions, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Nurses face an elevated risk of suicidal ideation due to occupational stress, emotional burnout, difficulties in emotion regulation, and insufficient organizational support. The aim of this study was to systematically review factors associated with suicidal ideation among Iranian nurses and to identify potential preventive strategies.

Methods: This systematic review included all published studies between 2016 and January 2026 (up to Dey 1404) that were indexed in SID, Magiran, IranDoc, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: studies conducted on Iranian nurses, related to suicide/suicidal ideation, published in Persian or English, and with full text available. Studies were excluded if they were not specific to Iranian nurses, fell outside the designed time frame, were published in other languages, consisted of letters or case reports, or studies without full text. Two researchers independently performed the search process, removed duplicate records, and finally selected nine high-quality studies for inclusion in the final analysis.

Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation among Iranian nurses ranged from 22% to 27.56%, with active suicidal preparation reported up to 9.94%. Higher rates were observed during crisis situations (COVID-19 pandemic, earthquakes) and in high-risk wards (ICU, emergency departments). Significant risk factors included: emotion regulation difficulties, experiential avoidance, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, job burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and lack of organizational support. Effective interventions were limited and included health-promoting lifestyle education programs and compassion-focused therapy.

Conclusion: Suicidal ideation among Iranian nurses is a serious and multidimensional issue that requires urgent organizational and psychological interventions. Regular screening, training in emotion regulation and resilience skills, strengthening organizational support, and reducing workload are strongly recommended. Conducting randomized controlled trials to evaluate culturally adapted interventions is essential to protect nurses’ mental health and improve patient care quality.