Álvarez RA

Language: Spanish
References: 9
Page: 173-180
PDF size: 101.91 Kb.

ABSTRACT

The patient’s suffering and the physicians’ duty towards it is reviewed in this article. After having defined suffering and having analyzed its main characteristics, it is questioned if there are limits to the physicians’ responsibility and how can they succeed in attending the patients’ suffering. Physicians find especially difficult to deal with when they realize that the patient’s death is unavoidable. Finally, it is important to take into account: 1) that there is something about the patient’s suffering that only he can ameliorate, 2) that it is important to question how physicians can prepare themselves to face their own suffering.

REFERENCES

1. Cassel E. The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine. 2nd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2004, p. 31-2.

2. Cyrulnik B. La maravilla del dolor. El sentido de la resiliencia. Buenos Aires: Graniza; 2007, p. 9-25.

3. Damasio A. En busca de Spinoza. Neurobiología de las emociones y los sentimientos. Barcelona: Crítica; 2006, p. 114.

4. Kleinman A. The Illness Narratives. Suffering, Healing and the Human Condition. USA: Basic Books; 1988.

5. Merman AC. Learning to Care for the Dying. In: Spiro HW, McCrea-Curnen M, Wandel LP (eds.). Facing Death. Boston: Yale University Press; 1996, p. 53.

6. Rodríguez P. Morir es nada. Cómo enfrentarse a la muerte y vivir con plenitud. Barcelona: Ediciones B; 2002, p. 125.

7. Wright A. Medical care and emotional distress associated with advanced cancer patients’ end-of-life discussions with their physicians. J Clin Oncol 2008; (Suppl.): 6505.

8. Kubler-Ross E. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company; 1970.

9. Álvarez del Río A. Las actitudes del médico ante la muerte. En: de la Fuente RM. 50 años de labor universitaria. México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/Facultad de Medicina; 2005.