The meaning of suicidal psychiatric inpatients' experiences of being treated by physicians

Twenty-one psychiatric inpatients who had thought about, expressed a wish t o, or even attempted to commit suicide narrated their experiences of receiv ing treatment from physicians. The interview texts were transcribed and int erpreted using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method inspired by the philos ophy of Ricoeur. Two main themes and eight themes were found. Participating Approach: being with the patients, listening to patients without prejudice , trusting each other, respecting patients' integrity; and Observing Approa ch: leaving patients to themselves, listening to patients with prejudice, m istrusting each other, not respecting patients' integrity. These findings w ere interpreted in the light of the writings of Hegel, Buber and Cissna and Sieburg. The suicidal patients expressed their need for confirmation in th eir interaction with physicians, that is they needed to meet with respect a nd interest when staving in the hospital with suicidal thoughts or after su icidal attempts.