Impact of Patient Suicide on Clinicians

Nurses who treat patients at risk for suicide are likely to have a patient commit suicide during their years of practice. The American Association of Suicidology estimates that between 5,000 and 10,000 clinicians will have this experience annually. Yet, for even the most experienced clinicians, the suicide of a patient can have a long-lasting emotional impact. Personal and professional reactions may be both frightening and humbling for clinician survivors of suicide. (J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc [2003]. 9, 159-162.) Between 5,000 and 10,000 professional clinicians lose apatient to suicide each year (American Association of Suicidology, 2002). Suicide is an occupational hazard for mental health clinicians (American Association of Suicidol-ogy). One out of every two to four psychiatrists and up to 40 % of psychotherapists are clinician survivors (Foster