title: Patient suicide in institutions: emotional responses and traumatic impact on Swiss mental health professionals.
abstract: The reactions of professionals after a patient suicide are still a subject of controversy in academic literature. This article reports on retrospective data about the aftermath experienced by mental health professionals working in institutional settings in Switzerland. Findings indicate that both self-rated emotional responses and traumatic impact were low for the majority of the 258 professionals surveyed. Variables that mediated the impact included the support received and the characteristics of the professional-patient relationship. No significant differences were found with regard to gender and profession.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work and Social Education , University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland , Givisiez , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dolores Angela Castelli
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dransart
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gutjahr
authors.forename: Alida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulfi
authors.forename: Nadine Kaufmann
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Didisheim
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Séguin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013557:Switzerland