Death as a Professional Challenge: An Analysis of the Relationship Between Exposure to Patient Death, Occupational Burnout, and Perceptions of Death Among Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinicians

The contemporary healthcare environment is characterized by high stress and emotional burden, contributing to increasing rates of professional burnout among clinicians. Exposure to patient death represents one of the most emotionally taxing experiences in medicine, particularly in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), where loss of life stands in stark contrast to the life-giving nature of the field. Despite extensive research on burnout in oncology and intensive care, the impact of patient death and death perception on OB/GYN clinicians remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationships between exposure to patient death, perceptions of death, professional burnout, and professional fulfillment among OB/GYN clinicians. A secondary aim was to explore whether participation in emotional regulation training was associated with these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 OB/GYN clinicians. An author-developed questionnaire was used, comprising scales measuring professional burnout, positive and negative death perception, professional fulfillment, professional development, and a global death-impact index. Statistical analyses included Pearson’s correlation and the Mann–Whitney U test to compare clinicians who had attended emotional regulation training with those who had not. Results: Significant positive correlations were observed between burnout and the death-impact index (r = 0.90, p < 0.001) and between burnout and negative death perception (r = 0.23, p = 0.007). Professional fulfillment strongly correlated with professional development (r = 0.94, p < 0.001) and positively with positive death perception (r = 0.30, p < 0.001). No significant group differences were found regarding emotional regulation training participation. Conclusions: Exposure to patient death in OB/GYN is strongly associated with professional burnout and negative perceptions of death. Conversely, professional fulfillment and development function as factors promoting resilience and meaning. Further research should validate the applied measurement tools and examine the effectiveness of emotional regulation interventions in reducing occupational distress.