How to Coach Yourself and Others Empowering Coaching And Crisis Interventions | Page 160

This book is in B&W, not color - Print page in Grayscale for Correct view! What are some of the legal implications of working with suicidal people? If a person completes suicide after a crisis services provider intervenes, it is possible that the family or friends of the individual may hold the crisis services provider responsible for the suicide. Three sorts of suicides are most prone to this sort of blaming and/or legal suits: 1) Outpatient suicides (should the clinician have hospitalized the individual?), 2) Inpatient suicides (Did the institution provide a safe environment?), and 3) Suicide following discharge or escape. In determining malpractice/liability, four elements must be present: 1.A therapist-patient relationship must exist which creates a duty of care to be present. 2.A deviation from the standard of care must have occurred. 3.Damage to the patient must have occurred. 4.The damage must have occurred directly as a result of deviation from that standard of Care. Risk management guidelines:  Documentation - always document, what is not documented, did not happen per most entities' opinion.  Information on previous treatment  Involvement of family and significant others  Consultation on present clinical circumstances  Sensitivity to medical issues  Knowledge of community resources  Consideration of the effect on self and others  Preventive preparation. DO'S and DON’TS in suicide prevention Remove opportunities Receive and accept suicidal communication Do intrude Prevent isolation and involve significant others Transfer rather than refer Follow-up Always obtain consultation when unsure Do know your own value system about suicide Get precipitant (Identify those issues, concerns, and/or events that led up to the current crisis.) Use self as instrument of prevention Do not worry about saying the wrong thing Do not consider suicidal persons as special Do not assume ability to solve problem(s) Do not try to talk the person out of committing suicide Do not engage in abstract discussion about suicide, death, Do not be too accepting of suicide Do not delegitimatize Do not give cheap general reassurance Do not lose confidence (may need more limited goals) For [email protected] Property of Bookemon, do NOT distribute 160