How does MD control their emotions when patients die?

Question

I had a chance to see a documentary last night showing how MD treats and takes care of patients. During the documentary, it showed a clip in which a patient died and mother of the patient crying and sobbing over the dead body.
It was really sad and tearful moment for anybody. But the MDs nearby looked sad but never showed tears. They all showed amazing control of their emotions.
How does MD control their emotions when patients die? Are they trained not to cry with tears when patients die?

Answer 1

This action (or lack of reaction) is partly trained and partly self discovered. It is considered "professional" for the medical staff. Learning this is one of the reasons for extended time spent with patients before the medical degree is given.

It seems to be related to closing off all empathic connections with the patients and their families AND in learning to control, not the emotions, but the expression of these emotions in public.

Answer 2

Doctors almost always have several patients at any given time, personal involvement with each individual is not practical. Additionally if the Doctor does allow that personal involvement and the patient dies, the Dr. will start the grieving process where he is worthless. So what will become of the other patients?

It's called "professional detachment". I have seen a couple of other terms but that seems to be the most common.

BTW, would you rather have a Doctor with emotions in check making clear, well thought out recommendations about your health care. Or, would you prefer somebody all tied up with grief and so concerned over other patients that s/he amputates your left leg when the procedure called for was a 4 way coronary bypass?

I understand your concern but you can put it to rest. Dr's. are not cold, heartless beasts. They do care about their patients well being, they just don't get so involved that it clouds their vision or impairs their judgment.

Answer 3

Its something that all doctors struggle with. You learn early on in your training that if you become too emotionally involved with your patients that your objectivity suffers. Its the same reason that doctors don't take care of their family members. You can't make dispationate, rational medical decision when your heart is on the line. You learn to channel your emotions in other directions. The sadness from one patient's death becomes the determination that may save another.

Answer 4

I dont think of it relatively works fairly like that for a start up there's a probability component in contact with any surgical operation and the healthcare expert/favourite practitioner isnt allowed to grow to be emotionally attatched to the affected person,and the favourite practitioner knows of his artwork thouroughly interior and out yet some situations no longer each little thing needs to circulate as planned! in surgical operation they are able to in basic terms do what the main as much as date expertise of the surgical operation being carried out is and much less and no much less

Answer 5

They learn to separate themselves from their patients. How, exactly, I don't know.

One of the docs I work for yelled at me and a coworker one time because the two of us were crying with the mother of a sick three week old. (The kid is fine today, FYI) She told us that we can't go to pieces in front of the patient, that we NEED to hold it together. (My coworker and I are people that if someone cries around us, we start bawling.)

Answer 6

THey have to learn to deal with it since its a part of their job

Answer 7

Practice, and careful training.

Answer 8

They think about their bill that will be paid and what they'll do with all that money.