A Review on Vicarious Traumatization of Oncology Professionals

Year 2012, Volume: 23 Issue: 1, 161 - 172, 15.04.2012

Tarık Tuncay Meltem Oral

Abstract

Oncology health care professionals (physicians, nurses,
social workers, psychologists etc.) play different but important roles in
helping cancer patients and their families bear the life-threatening burdens of
cancer. There is a high level of emotional intensity in the nature of working
with cancer patient. This may put oncology professionals at risk for
experiencing vicarious traumatization. Many research results indicate that most
oncology professionals have traumatic responses related to their work. However,
the vicarious traumatization is difficult to detect through quantitative
measures. Besides, the positive aspects of oncology field overshadow this
particular experience. Positive aspects of oncology field include personal
rewards, sharing the emotional burden with team members, life lessons learned
and value workers assigned to their work. This article examines the reasons of
vicarious traumatization, its possible impacts on professionals and ways to be
protected from trauma.

Keywords

Vicarious traumatization, psycho-oncology, psychosocial-oncology, oncology professionals, oncology social work, medical social services

ONKOLOJİ ÇALIŞANLARINDA DOLAYLI TRAVMATİZASYON ÜZERİNE BİR GÖZDEN GEÇİRME

Abstract

Onkolojik bakım alanında çalışan sağlık bakım
profesyonelleri (hekimler, hemşireler, sosyal çalışmacılar, psikologlar vd.),
kanser hastalarına ve ailelerine, kanserin yaşamsal tehdit yaratan yüklerini
taşımalarında -farklı mesleki roller taşıyor olsalar da- destek olurlar. Kanser
hastasıyla çalışmanın doğasında yüksek bir duygusal yoğunluk vardır. Bu
yoğunluğu üzerinde taşıyan onkoloji profesyonelleri ise dolaylı travmatizasyon
tehdidi altına girer. Birçok araştırma onkoloji profesyonellerinin işleriyle
ilgili travmatik tepkiler verdiğini ortaya çıkartmıştır. Ne var ki, dolaylı
travmatizasyonu niceliksel ölçme araçlarıyla saptamak güçtür. Ayrıca onkoloji
alanının olumlu yönleri bu yaşantıyı gölgede bırakabilmektedir. Kişisel
kazanımlar, ekip üyeleriyle duygusal yükü paylaşma, yaşamsal dersler öğrenme ve
çalışanların işlerine yüksek değerler atfetmesi onkoloji alanının olumlu
yönlerindendir. Bu makalede dolaylı travmatizasyonun nedenleri, çalışanlar
üzerindeki potansiyel etkileri ve travmadan korunma yolları incelenmektedir.

Keywords

Dolaylı travmatizasyon, psiko-onkoloji, psikososyal-onkoloji, onkoloji çalışanları, onkolojide sosyal çalışma, tıbbi sosyal hizmetler

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