title: Pediatric oncologists' coping strategies for dealing with patient death.
abstract: This research examined pediatric oncologists coping strategies when their patients died of cancer. Twenty-one pediatric oncologists at 2 Canadian pediatric academic hospitals were interviewed about their coping strategies when patients died or were in the process of dying. The grounded theory method of data collection and data analysis were used. Line-by-line coding was used to establish codes and themes and constant comparison was used to establish relations among emerging codes and themes. Pediatric oncologists used engagement coping strategies with primary and secondary responses including emotional regulation (social support and religion), problem solving (supporting families at end of life), cognitive restructuring (making a difference and research), and distraction (breaks, physical activity, hobbies and entertainment, spending time with own children). They also used disengagement coping strategies that included voluntary avoidance (compartmentalization and withdrawing from families at end of life). Given the chronic nature of patient death in pediatric oncology and the emotionally difficult nature of this work, medical institutions such as hospitals have a responsibility to assist pediatric oncologists in coping with this challenging aspect of their work. Future research is needed to evaluate how best to implement these changes on the institutional level to help oncologists cope with patient death and the effect of using these strategies on their quality of life.
authors: a Department of Public Health , Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev , Beer Sheva , Israel.
authors: Leeat
authors: L
authors: Granek
authors: b Department of Psychology and Hematology/Oncology Program , Sick Kids Hospital and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Maru
authors: M
authors: Barrera
authors: c Division of Haematology/Oncology, McMaster Children's Hospital, McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario , Canada.|d Children´s Hospital, Cantonal Hospital , Lucerne , Switzerland.
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Scheinemann
authors: d Children´s Hospital, Cantonal Hospital , Lucerne , Switzerland.|e Division of Haematology/Oncology, Neuro-Oncology Program, Sick Kids Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Ute
authors: U
authors: Bartels
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D066296:Grounded Theory; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010372:Pediatrics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: coping; grief; patient death; pediatric oncologists; qualitative research