title: Connecting with suicidal patients in psychiatric wards: Therapist challenges.
abstract: In this qualitative interview study, the authors investigated how therapists experience and view treatment and care for suicidal patients in psychiatric wards. The focus is on aspects that may contribute toward shaping and possibly constraining therapists' connections with suicidal individuals. They conducted semistructured interviews of 4 psychiatrists and 4 psychologists and analyzed the data by means of thematic analysis. The findings suggest that high emphasis on diagnostics and standardized suicide risk assessments, limited direct care of suicidal patients, and fragmented mental health services may challenge therapists' connections with suicidal patients.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Mental Health , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim , Norway.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Mental Health , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim , Norway.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hjelmeland
authors.affiliation: a Department of Mental Health , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim , Norway.
authors.forename: Birthe Loa
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Knizek
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology