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Impact of patient suicide on psychiatric trainees

Surrey Oaklands NHS Trust, Department of Psychiatry, Epsom General Hospital, Dorking Road, Epsom, Surrey KT18 7EG

Malcolm Hawthorne, Consultant Psychiatrist

Department of Psychological Medicine, Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5UJ

Philip Sedgwick, Lecturer in Medical Statistics

Department of Public Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE

See pp. 44-49 and pp. 50-52, this issue.

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 patient's 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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