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Physicians' stories about suicidal psychiatric inpatients
A G Talseth1, L Jacobsson, A Norberg
1Tromsø College, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tromsø, Norway. anne.g.talseth@hitos.no
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
|May 31, 2002
Summary
Physicians caring for suicidal patients must confront their own mortality and vulnerability. Accepting these human aspects enables them to better support patients in distress.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Medical Ethics
Background:
- Caring for suicidal psychiatric inpatients presents unique challenges for healthcare professionals.
- Understanding physicians' lived experiences is crucial for improving patient care and therapeutic relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of physicians caring for suicidal psychiatric inpatients.
- To identify themes related to physicians' self-perception and patient interaction.
Main Methods:
- Phenomenological-hermeneutics method inspired by Ricoeur's philosophy.
- In-depth interviews with 19 physicians from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
- Analysis of transcribed interviews focusing on lived experiences.
Main Results:
- Two core themes emerged: 'Power Over' (related to non-acceptance of mortality, vulnerability, fallibility, and rejection) and 'Power To' (related to deep communication, acceptance of mortality, vulnerability, fallibility, and trust).
- Physicians' internal struggles with their own mortality and fallibility significantly impacted their interactions with suicidal patients.
- The concept of 'confirming' in interactions was explored in relation to physicians' self-acceptance.
Conclusions:
- Physicians need to confront their own feelings of mortality, vulnerability, and fallibility to effectively confirm suicidal patients.
- Acceptance of these human aspects is key to building trust and fostering deeper communication.
- This self-awareness enhances the therapeutic alliance and supports patient recovery.