Table 3.
Physician respondents’ intense emotions experienced in the presence of patients
| Emotions experienced | No. (%)a |
|---|---|
| Negative | |
| Sadness | 41 (25.3) |
| Fear/anxiety (nervousness, fright, panic, apprehension) | 34 (21.0) |
| Frustration (powerlessness, incapacity) | 32 (19.8) |
| Anger (revolt, indignation) | 24 (14.8) |
| Disappointment | 3 (1.9) |
| Repulsion (contempt) | 2 (1.2) |
| Guilt | 2 (1.2) |
| Shame | 1 (0.6) |
| Positive | |
| Happiness (joy, self-fulfillment) | 7 (4.3) |
| Relief | 2 (1.2) |
| Mixed | |
| Compassion (empathy, tenderness, solidarity) | 12 (7.4) |
| Surprise/confusion | 2 (1.2) |
a
N = 162 reported emotions. Some survey respondents reported more than one emotion.