Citation

Helle J. Psychiatr. Prax. 1986; 13(6): 226-230.

Vernacular Title

Die Suizidgefahr in der psychiatrischen Klinik zwischen Garantenpflicht und

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3809315

Abstract

Whereas doctors and nurses in a psychiatric hospital are compelled, on the one hand, to prevent a mental patient from committing suicide (which may entail quite considerable restriction of freedom of movement and action), they may find it necessary on the other hand to grant him a certain amount of freedom as an adjuvant to therapy. It has been said that one may well fear that the compulsion to prevent suicide completely over rules therapy as such, and hence that official legislation is an obstacle to full utilisation of existing chances of cure, since it requires doctors and nurses to prevent suicide as the first and foremost consideration. This fear, however, is unfounded. Rather, the psychiatrist is called upon to weight the suicide risk against the chances of cure under less strict supervision in individual cases that appear suitable for following such a procedure. This conclusion is based on legal theoretical deliberations and is in line with judgements pronounced by Federal German Supreme Courts.

Language: de