RT Journal
A1 Chau NG, Zimmermann C, Ma C, Taback N, Krzyzanowska MK
T1 MEdical oncologists' experience in attending a funeral and communicating condolences—reply
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2009
FD October 26
VO 169
IS 19
SP 1806
OP 1818
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.374
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.374
AB 

			Professional burnout is increasingly recognized among physicians and is characterized by the following 3 components: depersonalization (emotional hardening and impersonal response), emotional exhaustion, and lack of personal accomplishment.1 Although funeral attendance was reported by a minority of physicians in our study (2% usually or always and 10% sometimes),2 it may indeed provide an effective strategy to overcome one of the key components of burnout, depersonalization, reported by 22% of oncologists.3 However, the potential benefits of routine funeral attendance must also be weighed against the risks of emotional exhaustion (reported by 53%-69% of oncologists3- 4), compassion fatigue, and time constraints. In a study at our center, inadequate time to grieve the death of patients was reported by 55% of oncology staff and was a significant predictor of work-related stress.5 In a study of certified nursing assistants working in a nursing home, higher levels of work-related grief appeared to contribute to burnout, whereas positive reactions to grief protected from burnout.6 To our knowledge, there have been no previous studies that describe the relationship between physician grief or bereavement practices and physician burnout.