Project Overview

Psychiatrists are mental health professionals who experience greater incidence of patient death by suicide, which is a distressing occupational event associated with far-reaching impacts on professional practice and wellbeing.

The present study aims to investigate how patient suicide affects the personal and professional lives of consultant and non-consultant psychiatrists in Ireland, and what resources/systems psychiatrists would find helpful in mitigating the
impact of a patient suicide.

A survey informed by previous research was disseminated to members of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland.

Project Aims

  • To investigate how patient suicide affects the emotional well-being and clinical practice of psychiatrists.
  • To identify the resources that psychiatrists would find helpful before and after the suicide of a patient.
  • To explore psychiatrists’ attitudes to suicide and suicide prevention, and their perceptions of institutional and societal pressures.

Team Members Involved

Dr Eibhlin Walsh, Dr Cliodhna O’Brien, Dr Paul Corcoran

Verified by MonsterInsights