Abstract
One hundred and nine consultant psychiatrists completed an anonymous questionnaire on the suicide of patients In their care. A patient suicide was reported by 82%, of whom 47% had experienced their first patient suicide within five years of entering psychiatric practice. A formal review of the suicide had occurred in 24% of cases. The study examines the perceived effects of their first patient suicide on the professional practice of the respondents, and measures the personal stress related to it, using the Impact of Event Scale. We discuss the implications of this common experience for psychiatric training programmes.
Highlights
One hundred and nine consultant psychiatrists completed an anonymous questionnaire on the suicide of patients in their care
In the event of a patient suicide having occurred, the respondents completed questions regarding their years in psychiatric practice at the time of their first suicide, whether the patient was an in-patient, and whether there was a formal review following the event
Eighty-two per cent reported that a patient had committed suicide during treatment, and of those reporting one suicide, 81% had experienced more than one
Summary
One hundred and nine consultant psychiatrists completed an anonymous questionnaire on the suicide of patients in their care. A formal review of the suicide had occurred In 24% of cases. The study examines the perceived effects of their first patient suicide on the professional practice of the respondents, and measures the personal stress related to It, using the Impact of EventScale. Psychiatrists share some of these experiences when their patient commits suicide (Litman, 1965). They may experience anger and sadness, with consequent blame, guilt and denial, associated with obsessive reviewing and Impaired performance. The reported frequency of patient suicide as experienced by psychiatrists varies from 2257% (Kahne, 1968; O'Reilly et ai 1990). (a) to ascertain the proportion of Irish psychiatrists who have experienced the suicide of one or more of their patients (b) to determine the frequency of formal
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