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Risk management with suicidal patients
Author(s) -
Berman Alan L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20221
Subject(s) - malpractice , blame , psychology , duty of care , duty , liability , commission , psychiatry , medical emergency , medicine , law , political science
The patient who is at‐risk for suicide is complex and is difficult to evaluate and treat effectively. Should suicidal behavior occur, the clinician faces the potential wrath of bereaved survivors and their externalized blame exercised through a malpractice suit. The clinician's duty of care to a patient is to act affirmatively to protect a patient from violent acts against self. A finding of malpractice is established if the court finds that this duty was breached, through an act of omission or commission relative to the standard of care, and that this breach was proximately related to the patient's suicidal behavior. This article discusses the standard of care and factors that determine liability in a suicide death of a patient. An extensive list of recommendations for competent caregiving for the at‐risk patient and risk management guidelines are then presented. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 62: 171–184, 2006.