Research article summary (published 27 Feb 2003):

'No-suicide contracts' and informed consent: an analysis of ethical issues.

Full Abstract

The 'no-suicide contract' is a frequently utilized tool in both the assessment and dispersal of suicidal patients. However, little attention has been given to questioning whether suicidal persons are able to give informed consent to enter such a contract. This article utilizes both the existing literature on no-suicide contracts and the results of recent research into the effects of this tool, to examine whether its use is consistent with the legal and ethical doctrine of informed consent. Particular attention is given to issues of competence, fullness of information, voluntariness and paternalistic intervention when no-suicide contracts are used. This analysis finds the tool to be problematic and suggests that individual patients' ability to give informed consent about a no-suicide contract needs to be carefully considered by clinicians.

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Author information

Author/s: Farrow, Tony L (TL); O'Brien, Anthony J (AJ);

Affiliation: School of Nursing, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, PO Box 540, Christchurch 8032, New Zealand. farrowt@cpit.ac.nz

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Nursing ethics (Nurs Ethics), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 10 (issue 2) : pp 199-207

Dates: Created 2003/03/27; Completed 2003/04/18; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 12659490, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adult Aged Attitude to Health Ethics, Nursing Humans Informed Consent - ethics Mental Competency Middle Aged

Negotiating - psychology Nurse-Patient Relations Nursing Assessment Nursing Methodology Research Patient Education as Topic - standards Psychiatric Nursing - ethics; methods Questionnaires Risk Assessment Suicide, Attempted - ethics; psychology

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