Emotional impact on healthcare professionals

Abstract

The emotional impact and ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals, especially nurses, are growing and globally relevant problems that directly affect the quality of care for patients. This study focused on understanding the emotional experiences, the confrontation with medical decisions such as therapeutic obstinacy and palliative sedation, and the role of protocols. A qualitative, exploratory, explanatory, and phenomenological approach was used, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional research design. The study population consisted of nursing professionals in Brazil, Peru, and Spain during 2023. The sample comprised 16 nurses, selected through purposive, non-probability sampling. The variables analyzed included emotional impact, ethical dilemmas (therapeutic obstinacy and palliative sedation), protocol use, and the communication of bad news. Sequential coding was used for data processing to categorize and identify subtopics. The results show that nurses experience sadness, helplessness, and frustration when faced with death. Palliative sedation is seen as a fundamental tool and a right for a dignified death, while therapeutic obstinacy is categorized as inhumane. Although protocols exist, their implementation is hampered by lack of time, excessive workload, and a scarcity of resources. Cultural differences were identified, with Brazil and Peru highlighting the importance of considering the customs and beliefs of families in the grieving process, while in Spain, palliative sedation and advanced legislation are key factors.