Experiences of Forgiveness in Physicians Whose Medical Treatment Was Not Successful

Instances of failure of medical treatment, i.e., situations in which physicians despite their best efforts are unable cure their patients, are rarely discussed in the literature. When they are (Blue, 1933; Hilfiker, 1984), physicians are often portrayed as using denial and distancing mechanisms ward off the impact of these emotion-laden situations or as experiencing significant guilt and self-blame at their inability help their patients significantly. As part of a larger study aimed at understanding physicians, patients and their families in situations of treatment failure, 30 physicians, judged very competent and compassionate by their peers, were interviewed and given five TAT cards (Nos. 4, 10, 11, 14, 17 BM). All of the physicians were male surgeons who performed cancer surgery or coronary surgery. Half of the surgeons (15) tried continue their relationships with their patients even when it was clear that nothing more could be done medically cure the patients. The other half (15) of the group did not continue seeing their patients after the surgeries and postoperative follow-ups were completed. Both groups of surgeons were about the same age (in both groups mean age was 46 yr.) and had similar kinds of practices. All 15 of the physicians who maintained relationships with their patients despite treatment failure expressed explicitly stated themes of forgiveness (i.e., either self-forgiveness or forgiveness by another) in at least one of their five TAT stimulated stories. Eight of these 15 had at least two stories involving forgiveness. These 15 physicians also commented in their interviews that continuing see their patients enabled them more easily come terms with their human limitations, be forgiven by their patients, and by that forgiveness to feel permitted rejoin the human community as a renewed and worthwhile member. In contrast, the 15 physicians who did not maintain relationships with their unsuccessfully treated patients showed no instances of forgiveness (self or by another) in their stories or interviews

Forgiveness · Psychotherapist · Clinical Psychology · Forgiveness and Related Behaviors · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology · Social Psychology

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