Aspects of Fear of Personal Death, Levels of Awareness, and Professional Affiliation among Dialysis Unit Staff Members

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the expressions of fear of personal death among physicians, nurses, and social workers working in dialysis units at several general hospitals. Seventy-one dialysis unit staff members and sixty-eight staff members of optomology and oto-rhino laryngology wards, who served as a control group, responded on an individual basis to: 1) Fear of Personal Death Scale [1]; 2) Four TAT cards. Results indicated no differences in fear of personal death between the two main research groups both on the conscious and on below the conscious level. When compared to social workers, physicians received lower scores of fear of personal death on both levels, and nurses scores fell between the two professions. Clear gender differences were revealed. These results and their practical implications are discussed.