Emotional Reactions of Medical Doctors and Students Following the Loss of Their Patients at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital Emergency Unit; South Africa

Background: Studies on death and dying predominantly emphasise the needs of the dying patient and the process of bereavement. Few studies have focused on the reactions of medical doctors and students when the patients they have cared for die. Methods: The aim of the study was to explore the thoughts and feelings of doctors and medical students who have lost patients while under their care at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital emergency unit in Ga-Rankuwa; South Africa. The participants included 10 medical doctors and final-year medical students. A qualitative study methodology using a phenomenological approach was used. Results: Meanings were formulated from transcriptions and themes were identified. The following themes emerged: emotional reactions; which included anger; helplessness; guilt and pain; recurrent thoughts about the incident; blame; perceived incompetence; detachment from emotions; religion; death of a paediatric patient; medical training; psychological services; work environment; coping with the family of the deceased; and facing mortality. Conclusion: From the study it was concluded that doctors needed enhanced training in communication skills and communicating death to the patients' families. Bereavement counselling and debriefing should be available to provide them with an opportunity to share emotional responses and reflect on patients' fatality

Personality Profile and Coping Resources of Family Medicine Vocational Trainees at the University of Limpopo; South Africa

Background: Doctors are exposed to various stress factors in their personal and family lives; as well as in the workplace. Stress inherent to the responsibilities and challenges of the medical field may become a health hazard and threaten the well-being of the medical practitioner. Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the personality traits and coping resources that contribute to the wellbeing of medical practitioners. A cross-sectional study of 44 out of 45 (98response rate) family medicine vocational trainees at the Medical University of Southern Africa (now known as the University of Limpopo) was conducted. A biographic questionnaire was utilised to obtain specific information regarding the participants. The principal researcher used the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) questionnaire to assess coping resources; and the 16PF personality analysis (16PF) to establish a personality profile of the participants. Results: The majority of participants (81.8) indicated that they mainly experienced work-related stress. Thirty-two participants (72.72) self-medicated. Fourteen participants (31.81) claimed to experience burn-out and twenty (45.45) reported fatigue. In terms of their coping resources; 24 male participants (54.54) did not cope socially (p . 0.008) and eight (18.18) also did not cope physically (p . 0.024). Conclusions: The medical practitioners had a universal personality profile. They lacked insight regarding the symptoms they were experiencing that warranted management; e.g. depression and anxiety. The medical practitioners in this study did not utilise their social and physical coping resources optimally and reported poor help-seeking behaviour