Estudio sobre la vivencia de la muerte entre los sanitarios

Abstract

The present article studies the opinions and ideas death awakes among health professionals. Not only the idea of their own death, but the death of those patients or relatives they care for. The concept of "death" is of paramount importance in the development of health professions. Depending on the concept one has about it, attention and care provided to terminal ill patients could differ. In order to run deep in this field a questionnaire was handed out among professionals to find out what the meaning of death had for them, both at a personal and professional level. The questionnaire requested as well whether beliefs influence life of a terminal ill patient, and the conflicts he or she faces if this happens. Conclusions were rather surprising. In general terms people thought it is wiser to face death at home better than in hospital, even considering such a circumstance causes stress among relatives, specially children who participate in funeral rites. Another discovery was the high number of believers within the health profession; the preference of a quick death to a painless, full conscientious knowledge of final ending.