Questions need to be asked about this particular suicide

Aug 23, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
Permit me to pen my thoughts regarding the suicide death of Vinod Balkarran, which took place recently at the Georgetown Hospital. Sad but true, beyond any shadow of a doubt, hospitals are meant to be safe havens for those who are ill, and death by suicide in the hospital environment is a serious indignity or affront to a shared expectation of safety. In the legal world, courts and juries generally view in patient units in hospitals as having a greater degree of control over any patient, and by consequence an even greater degree of responsibility in preventing suicide.
Because they occur in close proximity to staff in- patient suicide are oftentimes viewed as the most avoidable and preventable. It is stated in the Stabroek News that the now deceased was experiencing family problems, and was even overheard on Thursday night telling someone to hasten their visit , or else they would regret it.
To whom was this information passed on? Was it to any member of the nursing team? Suicides have been known to take place when there is a fracture and deterioration of the therapeutic alliance between patient and staff due to negative perceptions of behavior. Objectivity is oftentimes lost when hospital staff begin to look at patients as being manipulative, provocative, faking or even being too over-dependent.
This can also lead to poor clinical assessment, and inadequate assessment of the risk factor. Prior to his committing suicide, was the staff aware of any change in the patient’s behavior or verbal utterances? To the best of the staff recall, what was his demeanour when last seen by them? How often are patient’s checks done? It only takes 4 or 5 minutes of adequate pressure on the carotid arteries in a person’s neck to produce death by oxygen deprivation to the brain.
The death of any patient by suicide, although some may say it is of his own doing is nevertheless regrettable and could have been preventable, and occurring in a hospital setting does cast the matter in a more somber light. In addition to being called upon to conduct a thorough inquiry as to staff responsibility, investigation of manner and frequency of patient check and surveillance, and verification and verification of knowledge level of staff training in the assessment and management of likely suicidal patients, this demise should be a wake-up call for the Unit and by extension the Administration of the Public Hospital to forthwith ensure and maintain a safe physical environment that is devoid of any means of committing suicide even up to and including the installation of suicide proof architecture. May the deceased Rest In Peace while hospital analyses the pieces to prevent a recurrence.
Yvonne Sam

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