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10 Facts About Teen Suicide Every Psychiatric Nurse Should Know

Youth suicide is a serious problem—but you can help by becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner.

The number of U.S. children visiting hospitals for suicidal thoughts nearly doubled between 2008 and 2015.1 It’s a disturbing trend, but suicide is preventable if those at risk receive proper and timely treatment.2

If you’re considering earning your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, you’re likely to encounter children and teens at risk for suicide. But to provide proper care, you’ll need to understand how serious the problem is. Here are 10 facts to know about youth suicide in the U.S.:

10 Facts About Teen Suicide Every Psychiatric Nurse Should Know

  1. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth between 10 and 24 years of age, claiming 4,600 lives annually.3
  2. Suicide kills more teenagers and young adults than does cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.4
  3. 16% of high school students report seriously considering suicide.3
  4. 13% of high school students report creating a plan.3
  5. 8% of high school students report trying to take their own life in the past 12 months.3
  6. Every day, 5,400 youth in grades 7–12 attempt suicide.4
  7. Each year, around 157,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 24 are treated in emergency rooms for self-inflicted injuries.3
  8. Boys account for 81% of suicide deaths.3
  9. Girls are more likely to report attempting suicide than boys.3
  10. 4 out of 5 teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs.4

How Can You Become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Help?

If you’re a psych nurse or any other type of RN, you already know that to become a nurse practitioner you have to complete an MSN or doctoral program. What you may not know is that earning a master’s in nursing is more convenient than ever before.

Thanks to online education, when you earn a master’s in nursing online, you can take advantage of flexible scheduling, choosing to attend class at whatever time of day works best for you, which makes it possible to continue nursing full time while enrolled in your master’s in nursing program.

Another advantage of online learning is that you can choose an RN to MSN path. If you don’t currently hold a bachelor’s, an RN to MSN online program can put you on track to move directly from being an RN to holding a Master of Science in Nursing.

Many young people need psychiatric professionals—including nurses—who are focused on their mental well-being. With an MSN degree from an online university, you can become just such a professional.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.


1Source: www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/05/16/611407972/hospitals-see-growing-numbers-of-kids-and-teens-at-risk-for-suicide
2Source: www.apa.org/research/action/suicide.aspx
3Source: www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/SuicideYouth.html
4Source: https://americanspcc.org/facts-teen-suicide

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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