MONTEIRO, Daniela Trevisan; REIS, Cristine Gabrielle da Costa dos; QUINTANA, Alberto Manuel    MENDES, Jussara Maria Rosa. Death: the hard denouement to be transmitted by the doctors. Estud. pesqui. psicol. []. 2015, 15, 2, pp.547-567. ISSN 1808-4281.

This study shows the results of a survey performed with doctors in an adult ICU and aimed to understand, from their perspective, the process of communication of bad news. This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research on the communication of bad news in the ICU, focusing more precisely on the communication of death. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation. We interviewed 12 physicians who practice activity in the ICU of a teaching hospital in the country region of Rio Grande do Sul. For data analysis, we used the content analysis. The ethical recommendations of Resolution 466/2012 were followed. It was found that doctors usually identify the bad news with the news of death, considered by them as the most difficult ones to be given. There is the feeling of unpreparedness to give bad news, which leads them to feel anguish. That reality can be shared with other professionals in the team and accepted by them, demystifying that the pain, suffering and death of the patient are connected to the failure of the doctor. Thus, allowing the emergence of emotions in a genuine and human encounter in the relationship with the patient and family.

: death; communication of bad news; health psychology.

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