Convivendo com a morte e morrer no trabalho em saúde: revisão da literatura

Abstract

Death is seen as an aversive event to life, a physiological process that indicates the end of a life cycle. However, talking about death is still a taboo, and health professionals often face difficulties in dealing with this subject. This research seeks to understand how these professionals experience death and dying, describing the feelings expressed when faced with the finitude of life. OBJECTIVE: To understand how health professionals experience death, dying and mourning in their daily work. It also seeks to describe how they express their feelings when faced with the finitude of life, and to report the prevention of emotional disorders resulting from living with death in the exercise of their profession. METHODOLOGY: This is a narrative review of literature, based on publications that address how health professionals deal with death in the exercise of their profession. The searches occurred in the months of August to December 2022. The period of analysis comprises the years of 2018 to 2022. RESULTS: Healthcare professionals face considerable emotional overload and psychological pressure in the exercise of their daily work. Dealing directly with the death of patients ends up generating feelings of insecurity and incompetence, which can undermine their confidence in the treatment they offer. Some of these professionals avoid approaching the subject of death, resorting to denial as a defense mechanism. One aspect that contributes to this fragility is the lack of preparation in professional training to deal with death and the dying process. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study made it possible to identify the confrontation with death and the dying process in the exercise of the profession, which shows itself as a challenge, causing feelings of insecurity when faced with the loss of patients under the professional's care.