PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IN EMERGENCY PHYSICI ANS ON AMBULANCE DUTY

Psychological stressing of emergency physicians, which takes the form of cognitive and emotional reactions while attending to an emergency a nd afterwards, is investigated. In the situation of emergency, the phy sician has to deal with the patient and members of the victim's family , as well as the experience itself while self-reflective cognition inv olving the physician's own person or family members is much less to th e fore. Subsequently, when the emergency call is over self-reflective emotions tend to predominate. Consequences in terms of coping strategi es and support for the physician are discussed.