Risk Management with Suicidal Patients - Tapa blanda

"One-third of the psychologists and half the psychiatrists in this country will find themselves snared in malpractice actions in the course of their careers. These imbroglios usually drag on several years; practitioners pay a heavy price and at best can expect a searing emotional experience before such a case is concluded. If you want to keep out of painful lawsuits, study this book. Its contributors are a 'who's who' in suicide studies, and it reads as though it was written on the courthouse steps. Knowing what is in this book is the practitioner's best prophylaxis for safe practice." --John T. Maltsberger, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

How does the law define "reasonable care" in the treatment of suicidal patients? What are the most clinically and legally appropriate procedures for evaluating and managing suicide risks? And what forms of precautionary planning and documentation are recommended for minimizing the likelihood of malpractice actions? Drawing upon years of clinical experience as well as extensive malpractice claims data and relevant case law, this book outlines effective assessment, management, and treatment procedures that balance the need for high-quality care with the requirements of court-determined and statutory standards. Three widely cited papers on standards of care are accompanied by four new chapters on clinical and legal risk management and issues surrounding pharmacotherapy. Offering frank, balanced coverage of an extremely challenging clinical situation, Risk Management with Suicidal Patients helps psychologists, psychiatrists, and other practitioners develop their own clinically and legally informed strategies for providing the best possible care. It is also an invaluable resource for legal professionals, and may serve as a text in psychology and psychiatry ethics courses and courses on mental health law.