Staff Response to Suicide of Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients
Abstract
The authors cite seven case histories of inpatients who committed suicide over a five-year period and analyze staff reaction and the changes in policy and procedures that followed. They conclude that staff feelings of guilt and failure brought about by inhospital suicides may result in the implementation of procedures designed to decrease risk, but that such procedures would not necessarily have prevented the suicide that led to their introduction. They maintain that staff acceptance of total responsibility for preventing suicide may achieve short-term safety at the expense of increased long-term risk, and that suicides can occur even when all reasonable precautions have been taken.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
