RESUMO
Supporting a cancer patient up until the end of life and then mourning the loss represents a long, and emotionally marking period that is potentially problematic for health professionals. In addition to individual and environmental characteristics-and related to death or to the relationship prior to death-the communication established between the doctor, patient, family members and other health professionals in the team, seems to determine how an individual experiences the loss and mourning process. Acknowledging the suffering of the bereavement without always being able to respond is neither easy nor trivial, requiring modified/appropriate knowledge and skills. The opportunity to share their experiences within a healthcare team and with external health care professionals guarantees an ethical approach, professional enrichment and limits the risk of burnouts. In order to offer guidance and potential solutions, the references specific to cancerology are regularly updated in France by the AFSOS ("French Association of Supportive Cancer Care"). This multidisciplinary effort, including professionals from different professional societies (AFSOS, SFFPO, SFAP) and coordinated by the cancerology network of Nouvelle Aquitaine (Onco-Nouvelle-Aquitaine), has resulted in the recent publication of two complementary resources that address bereavement. The first report provides theoretical guidelines, while the second proposes a more clinical approach on how to support a mourning individual. Thus, with regards to the clinical situation and contextualization of the aforementioned references, this article considers the dimensions of separation, bereavement, and supportive care and further discusses tools to help health professionals protect themselves when affronting these situations.
