A review of successful hospital suicides and their aftermaths

Suicide is common in hospitals, particularly psychiatric units and mental hospitals. But psychiatric patients aren't the only ones who commit suicide. Many hospitals have seen suicides in renal failure units, for instance, says one hospital security director. Suicides also occur in emergency rooms, parking decks, cancer wards, and virtually any other general service area. When they happen, suicides can spur lawsuits exposing hospitals to substantial damage awards. This special report will analyze reports of suicides at hospitals nationwide to look at patterns of the occurrences. It will focus on how some institutions have handled suicide problems. It will describe in detail two representative lawsuits and their outcome.