Impact of Suicide on Fellow Patients Exposed to Suicide in Clinical Settings and Postvention Strategies: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective Suicide in a clinical setting can cause trauma and grief, and affect other inpatients. There are different studies related to the bereavement after the suicide. This study aims to review the existing literature on the impact of suicide on fellow patients and the recommended interventions for them after the suicide in clinical settings. Materials & Methods This scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework. A medical librarian performed searches for related articles in English published from 2000 to 2020 in MedLine, Embase, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, and for the grey literature using Google and Google Scholar engines. The studies in non-clinical settings were excluded. Results The search yielded 873 records. Eleven articles and five guidelines met the inclusion criteria. The factors affecting the degree of impact on fellow patients were: Type of the relationship with the deceased, level of exposure to the suicide, the nature of suicide, and the patient’s vulnerability level. Immediate postvention recommendations emphasized the management of suicide risk and establishing safety, while short-term postvention recommendations aimed at providing emotional support and the recovery of fellow patients. Conclusion There is lack of studies on the impact of suicide in clinical settings on fellow patients and the postvention interventions for them. Further studies are needed to determine effective interventions for supporting this high-risk group.