Nurses, medical students and doctors frequently cry in hospitals,
according to a survey of three hospitals in Sydney. The survey, reported last
month in the Medical ]ournal of Australia (vol 166), says that the
topic of crying should be included in medical training and support should be
provided in hospitals for medical staff who are distressed by crying. The study
was based on a questionnaire filled in by 149 final-year medical students from
the University of New South Wales, 158 doctors, and 177 nurses. The nurses cried
the most and the students the least. Fifty-seven per cent of doctors, 76 per
cent of nurses and 31 per cent of medical students said they had cried in
hospital at least once. More than one in five of the medical students said they
had been ridiculed or screamed at after crying, while only one in 40 nurses had
been treated this way. The main reason for crying was identifying with the grief
and suffering of dying patients and their families.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features

Mind
Vocal fry is more common in men, actually, find scientists
News

Environment
Will burying dead trees after a wildfire keep their carbon locked up?
News

Technology
3 things you need to know about quantum computers, from an expert
Comment

Environment
Melting of Greenland ice sheet could release methane 'fire ice'
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Why autism pioneer Uta Frith wants to dismantle the spectrum
2
Rebooting stem cells builds aged muscles and assists injury recovery
3
Asteroid set to fly very close to Earth
4
3 things you need to know about quantum computers, from an expert
5
Neanderthals treated a dental cavity by drilling into the tooth
6
Melting of Greenland ice sheet could release methane 'fire ice'
7
PCOS has been officially renamed PMOS, and it’s a momentous move
8
What if the idea of the autism spectrum is completely wrong?
9
Vocal fry is more common in men, actually, find scientists
10
Why do particle physicists like spending time in fields?