Level of professional quality of life and coping with death competence in healthcare professionals exposed to perinatal loss: A cross-sectional study

Death Stud. 2024 Feb;48(2):140-149. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2023.2193811. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Abstract

Perinatal loss is a traumatic and stressful experience with a significant emotional toll on the physical and psychological wellbeing of the healthcare professionals. We included 216 healthcare professionals working in an obstetrics-gynecology service or neonatal intensive care unit in a cross-sectional study and aimed to analyze the possible association between the healthcare professionals' level of professional quality of life, their coping with death competence, and their personal and work-related characteristics. Compassion fatigue and burnout did not correlate significantly with healthcare professionals' personal and work-related characteristics. Formal training was strongly associated with high levels of compassion satisfaction and coping with death competence. A low level of coping with death competence was found in women and in younger healthcare professionals, those who are single, and with little professional experience. Self-care activities and hospital support systems can be effective resources in coping with death.

MeSH terms

  • Burnout, Professional* / psychology
  • Coping Skills
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Empathy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Quality of Life*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires