Difficult scenarios for primary care professionals caring terminally ill patients

Abstract

Objective. To know the situations that may induce higher rejection in Primary Care professionals caring terminally ill patients. Method. Qualitative study of the responses of wrote responses of 30 experienced Primary Care professionals about the difficult scenarios caring terminally ill patients and their proxies, and their own fears. Results. We identified four relevant categories of virtual and real situations that may induce higher rejection in these professionals: derived of their own ability and capability to treat those patients, related to communication and information, derived of psychological and emotional problems, and those coming from relations with family and proxies. Conclusion. Scenarios that induce more rejection in Primary Care professionals caring terminally ill patients are related to their own competence, to giving information, to psychoemotional problems, and the family of the patient.