Premonition of death in trauma: a survey of healthcare providers.
Prognostication in western medicine has traditionally been based on objective scientific criteria, yet providers often rely on a feeling or "sense" based on experience to provide prognoses. In trauma, some providers believe that patients who express a feeling of death are more likely to die. We randomly surveyed 302 members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma regarding patient's premonitions of death (POD). Ninety-five per cent of respondents reported encountering patients who expressed POD. Fifty per cent agreed patients expressing POD had a higher mortality rate. Fifty-seven per cent believe patient willpower affects outcome. Forty-four per cent agreed patients have an innate ability to sense their ultimate outcome after injury; 85 per cent believe patient's POD do not cause deviations from protocols. Most trauma providers have encountered patients expressing POD. Whereas most believe that a patient's willpower affects outcome, they do not believe that expressing a desire to live decreases mortality with seemingly fatal injuries. Providers who have witnessed negative POD believe these patients are more likely to die, however, they do not deviate from treatment protocols. This survey represents the first attempt to understand the magnitude of premonition of death in trauma and the need for future research.
Miglietta
Maurizio A
MA
Department of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA. mm3161@columbia.edu
Toma
Gabriel I O
GI
Docimo
Salvatore
S
Neely
Robert
R
Bakoulis
Anastasia
A
Kreismann
Erica
E
D000328:Adult; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005239:Fear; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology*