What do psychiatrists do with suicidal patients?

Stanford psychiatry resident Nathaniel Morris describes what it’s like to treat patients in the hospital after an attempted suicide. Many hospital psychiatrists work in emergency rooms, psychiatric wards and intensive care units where they treat patients who have intentionally harmed themselves.

Why do psychiatrists never listen?

Sometimes there isn’t time to listen even if they want to. Psychiatrists may buy into a parental relationship with their patients. The doctor was the “parent,” the patient was the “child,” and the child was to be seen and not heard. We now know there are better ways to work a doctor-patient relationship.

Is there an on-call psychiatrist in a hospital?

An attending psychiatrist is available on- call for consultation, usually by phone. In most instances, general hospital EDs provide adequate care. The ED experience, however, can add to the patient’s distress.

Are ethical psychiatrists available for emergencies?

Ethical psychiatrists are obliged to render competent care to their patients. That competent care would include either being available for emergencies at all times or making appropriate arrangements. Certainly, a message telling patients to call an emergency department is not adequate coverage.

What are the hours of operation for a psychiatric hospital?

They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, andprovide “full service” comprehensive emergency psychiatric services. 1 Provision of “around-the-clock” service prevents patients from leaving before being evaluated. Generally, a phone call to the patient by the psychiatrist is an intermediary step to determine an initial course of action.

What is required of a psychiatrist in solo practice?

In solo practice, the psychiatrist or covering clinician must be accessible to calls from suicidal patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by cell phone, pager, or other means of direct communication (excluding e-mail). Twenty-four-hour coverage for patient emergencies is an established medical practice and standard of care.