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The experience of patient suicide among Irish psychiatrists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Elizabeth M. J. Cryan ,
Paul Kelly  and
Brian McCaffrey
Elizabeth M. J. Cryan
Affiliation:
James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Paul Kelly
Affiliation:
University College, Dublin
Brian McCaffrey
Affiliation:
St Vincent's Hospital Fairview, Dublin 3, Republic of Ireland
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Abstract

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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.

Type
Original Papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 1995 , pp. 4 - 7
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994

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