Grief reactions and impact of patient death on pediatric oncologists

Abstract

Background: To examine pediatric oncologists’ grief reactions to patient death, and the impact patient death has on their personal and professional lives. Methods: The grounded theory method was used. Twenty-one Canadian pediatric oncologists at different stages of their career were recruited and interviewed about their experiences with patient death. Findings: Oncologists reported a range of reactions to patient death including sadness, crying, sleep loss, exhaustion, and a sense of personal loss. They also reported self-questioning, guilt, feelings of failure and helplessness. The impact of these deaths had consequences that ranged from irritability at home, feeling disconnected from family members and friends, and becoming more desensitized towards death, to gaining a greater and more appreciative perspective on life. Professional impacts included concern about turnover or burnout at work and improving holistic care as a result of patient deaths. Discussion: Grief over patient death is a robust part of the pediatric oncology workplace and has an impacts on pediatric oncologist's personal and professional lives. Interventions that focus on how to help oncologists deal with these reactions are needed