Death of the Nursed: Burnout of the Provider

Abstract

Burnout among caregivers of the terminally ill is related to the various ways in which people meet their death. Clinical experience and field studies reveal that every form of dying and death places its own distinctive emotional burden on the caregiver. For example, in the wake of a swift and violent death, an emergency room nurse may believe that he or she was not really trusted by the supervisors and not allowed to exercise his or her own professional judgment. The lack of opportunity to establish a last bond with the dying person can generate intense frustration. By contrast, the “slow death” process can result in debilitating fatigue on the caregiver's part, a fatigue whose source in the relationship with the dying person may not be recognized. A number of suggestions are made for identifying and coping with caregiver burnout throughout the spectrum of individuals, relationships, and modes of death.