Ewa Wilczek-Rużyczka, Elżbieta Zajkowska, Katarzyna Wojtas

Attitudes of doctors and nurses to suffering 69-76

Summary

Introduction. The world of suffering is extremely varied in its structure, dimensions and consequences. It refers to each of us in a different way according to our personal sensitivity and the structure of personality. However, it often happens that while experiencing suffering, we feel crushed with its suddenness and strength. There are many attitudes to suffering. Everybody suffers in their own unique way, which is conditioned by one's individual hierarchy of values.

Aim. The aim of this research was to get to know the attitude of doctors and nurses to their own and other people's suffering and to recognize those aspects of life which have an influence on creating those attitudes in groups under research. In connection with all this, some research hypotheses were proposed assuming adoption of positive attitudes to suffering in which the emotional component and relation between own experience of suffering by doctors and nurses and subsequent attitudes of therapeutic team predominate.

Material and methods. To conduct the research a questionnaire which contains questions about demographic and problematic character referring to opinions of own suffering experienced by those under research and attitude to the patients was individually elaborated. The research was conducted in a group of 40 doctors and 40 nurses.

Result. As a result of the research, the positive attitudes to suffering have been proved among both doctors and nurses. However, among nurses, some predominance of the emotional component has been noticed. There is predominance of the cognitive-emotional component over the behavioural in the whole group under research.