[nursemary58]

Hi,
I have been a nurse for over 25 years, mainly ICU. Years ago I worked in the Burn Unit in Baltimore Maryland as an agency nurse. Before that I did my clinical there. I always admired the Burn Nurses and knew that I could never work in that type of unit on a long term basis.
One time when I was working there I read in a journal of some sort that burn patients who are discharged from the hospital have an incredibly high rate of suicide. Keep in mind that was in the eighties, is that still the case today?

[shandsburnrn-SRNA]

I have been a burn nurse for about 2 1/2 years. Only one of my patients thus far has commited suicide since discharge from the unit. "Funny thing" his burns weren't all that bad...

[UMichSCN07]

**DISCLAIMER** I have NO solid data or statistics to quote you.

That being said, in the short time I've been around the unit, there seems to be a pattern of repeat attempted suicides by self-immolation. That is, people who have tried to kill themselves by lighting themselves on fire have tended to try it multiple times. Unfortunately, in my limited experience, most of those are eventually successful.

Mike in Michigan