Impact of patient suicide on psychiatric trainees
2002
AIMS AND METHOD A survey of 89 psychiatric trainees in a regional rotational training
scheme was carried out to investigate the impact immediately after a patient9s
suicide and at the time of the study. Main outcome measures used were the
Impact of Events Scale and a rating scale of the impact on personal and
professional life. RESULTS Twenty-three trainees out of 53 who returned questionnaires reported at
least one suicide. Initial reactions included shock, self-blame, guilt, grief
and fear of negligence. Impact on personal and professional life was
moderately severe. Over half of the trainees were ‘clinically
stressed’ in the immediate aftermath, with no statistically significant
reduction over time. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The impact of a patient suicide can be profound. It can be experienced as a
stressful event but can also lead to positive changes in clinical practice.
Greater availability of training and support as well as further research in
this area are recommended.
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