A Suicide Epidemic in a Psychiatric Hospital

Presents the cases of 3 suicides that occurred during a 6 month period on a ward of a psychiatric hospital; no other suicides had occurred in the hospital in 10 years. It is reported that the hospital staff was very uncertain about treatment goals & techniques, & resident supervision suffered. Associated specific treatment errors were revealed in each case. The epidemic ended after the reinstitution of firm supervision of basic psychiatric care directed toward clearly-defined treatment goals.