Patient’s nd-of-life: gap in the formation of veterinarians

Abstract

Considering the importance of caring for the mental health of students and veterinarians, the objective of the study was to evaluate the perception of veterinarians about the preparation obtained on the terminality of the patient's life during the veterinary medicine graduation and residency programs. Veterinarians enrolled in residency programs in the professional health area in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, were invited to answer a semi-structured questionnaire. The participation of 31.3% (N=42) of professionals was obtained, which represents a risk group for the development of mental health exhaustion considering gender, age and training time. Formal training related to the management of emotions regarding the death of the patient and the practice of euthanasia were not addressed during graduation for more than two thirds of respondents, a fact that worryingly is also observed during post-graduation. Only 11.9% (N=2) reported having received training during graduation to communicate the death to the client and 9.5% (N=1) during residency. The study showed that veterinarians working in residency programs in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were not prepared during graduation or residency to deal with the death of patients. . The inclusion of this training for veterinarians through specific disciplines can help in the training of more prepared professionals, minimizing the associated psychological effect