Professionals & the Death of Patients

Question 1

What is thanatophobia?

Answer 1

fear of death

• *can lead to avoiding dying patients & their families
• *doctors resistant to referring patients to palliative care–want a cure!

Question 2

What did Dr. Kubler-Ross find with dying patients?

Answer 2

no “dying patients” in the 800 bed teaching hospitals. They were found in acute care hospitals far away.

Question 3

T/F Denial is common in health care professionals when it comes to death.

Answer 3

True.

Question 4

What are the 5 stages of dying according to Kubler-Ross?

Answer 4

1. Denial ( & isolation)
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
   * *people can hop around these stages, not necessarily linear.

Question 5

T/f The 5 stages of dying only applies to patients, NOT to physicians.

Answer 5

False. This applies to us too.

Question 6

Aside from the stages of grief…what are other reactions that physicians have to patients’ death?

Answer 6

Failure
Guilt
Blame
Frustration

Question 7

T/F Patients can only have the 5 stages of grief with death.

Answer 7

False. They can experience this with any sense of loss. Loss of friend, divorce etc.

Question 8

According to DSM V…what are the normal symptoms of grief?

Answer 8

Normal Grief: can involve symptoms of major depression

**sadness, insomnia, poor appetite, weight loss.

Question 9

What are some grief symptoms that are more extreme-not a part of normal grief?

Answer 9

suicidal ideation
marked functional impairment
morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, hallucinations
marked psychomotor retardation

Question 10

When can you classify grief as a major depressive episode?

Answer 10

No waiting period. Can diagnose one day after major loss & prescribe anti-depressants.

Question 11

T/F If a person who has just lost their child sees them or hears their voice–it is appropriate to prescribe anti-psychotics.

Answer 11

False. This is a normal part of the grieving process.