Posted by fca on September 27, 2006, at 17:00:03
In reply to Re: Suicide Attempts » Triolian, posted by JOP on September 27, 2006, at 15:47:00
You can disagree all you want--I just said don't expect it. You are ignoring my comments regarding common law, statutory law or professional licensing boards. I am not arguing at all about whether they should or should not from an ethical or moral standpoint ( I happen to think one should intervene as a professional) but that is not the issue. I am saying that any professional who does not assertively intervene to stop a suicide is subject to the real possibility of horrendous litigation, possible loss of their license and termination of their employment. In day to day practice I can not imagine the liability of running a MH agency that did not have a policy that required staff to intervene in an affirmative way if in their professional judgement a person was suicidal. The reality is, if you want to successfully commit suicide don't tell a professional and expect them to be supportive or not act. And it begs the question--if you have rationally considered suicide and have decided it is the most appropriate action why would you engage someone else in this discussion. Who would want the responsibility of deciding whether a persons desire to commit suicide is the result of active depression. alcohol/drug abuse or the end product of a rational assesment of quality of life. This kind of decision can not be made in an emergency room or crisis program. Even States and Countries that allow assisted suicide have well established protocols and second opinion processes.
I ask your patience in understanding it from the professionals point of view--can you imagine documenting a patient told you they were going to commit suicide, you take no affirmative action, and then trying to defend (and support that action) with the persons family members, children,
and attorney when they request the records and begin litigation. The real issue is that in every jurisdiction of which I am aware (including the UK) the statutory law and/or Administrative code are very clear of what is expected if one(a professional or other person designated by law (police etc) believes a person is dangerous to themselves or others by virtue of a mental illness.
If you want to have a discussion about the issue from a moral, ethical or philosophical point of view that is an entirely different issue.
poster:fca
thread:689496
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060927/msgs/689657.html