Mixed-Methods Study of the Impact of Chronic Patient Death on Oncologists’ Personal and Professional Lives

Although some research has found that health care professionals experience grief when their patients die, within the oncology context, few studies have examined the impact of this loss on oncology personnel. Given the paucity of empirical studies on this topic, this research explored the impact of patient death on oncologists. Methods and Materials This study used a mixed-methods design. The qualitative component used the grounded theory method of data collection and analysis. Twenty-two oncologists were recruited from three adult oncology centers. Purposive sampling was used to gain maximum variation in the sample. The quantitative component involved a convenience sample of 79 oncologists recruited through oncologist collaborators.