Psychiatry Residency Joint Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
College of Medicine, Qassim University, Al-Mulida, Saudi Arabia.
PLoS One. 2024 Mar 7;19(3):e0300004. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300004. eCollection 2024.
A patient's suicide or suicide attempt is a challenging experience for psychiatrists. This study aimed to explore the common coping strategies and habits developed by psychiatrists/trainees following such incidents. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among participants in Saudi Arabia. The study enrolled 178 participants, of whom 38.8% experienced a patient's suicide, 12.9% experienced a patient's severe suicide attempt, and 48.3% did not encounter any suicidal events. The most frequently utilized sources of support were colleagues (48.9%), team discussions (41.3%), and supervisors (29.3%). Only 21.4% received formal education in coping with a patient's suicide. Approximately 94.9% reported a lack of support systems within their institution. The study highlighted the coping strategies most commonly employed by psychiatrists/trainees and revealed that the majority of participants reported no changes in their daily habits. The findings underscore the need for a structured support system and formal educational resources to address the existing deficit. Mental health organizations must take action to ensure adequate resources for healthcare providers.
患者自杀或自杀未遂对精神科医生来说是一种具有挑战性的经历。本研究旨在探讨精神科医生/受训者在遇到此类事件后通常采用的应对策略和习惯。在沙特阿拉伯，参与者被发放了一份自我管理式问卷。该研究共招募了 178 名参与者，其中 38.8%的参与者经历过患者自杀，12.9%的参与者经历过患者严重自杀企图，而 48.3%的参与者没有遇到过任何自杀事件。最常使用的支持来源是同事（48.9%）、团队讨论（41.3%）和主管（29.3%）。仅有 21.4%的人接受过应对患者自杀的正规教育。大约 94.9%的人报告称，其所在机构缺乏支持系统。该研究强调了精神科医生/受训者最常采用的应对策略，并揭示了大多数参与者报告称其日常习惯没有发生变化。研究结果强调了需要建立一个结构化的支持系统和正规的教育资源来解决现有不足。心理健康组织必须采取行动，确保为医疗保健提供者提供足够的资源。
