Seven percent of Bulgarian doctors have been victims of physical aggression during work, and more than half of them have faced verbal aggression from patients. This is shown by a sociological survey conducted among 800 doctors and nurses commissioned by the Bulgarian Medical Union, reports BNR. Another survey among the public shows that over 40 percent of people believe that in some cases doctors are to blame for the aggression shown towards them.
In order to lead to aggression, there are mistakes by both doctors and patients, believes Dr. Dimitar Bakalov, who works in the Emergency Department of the Multi-Profile Hospital in Pazardzhik. Many patients pass through there every day. Not all of them are urgent, and the tension comes from the judgment of who should be examined first:
"There is no way a heart attack can wait for someone who has been coughing for 3 days and is starting to ask - are you drinking coffee inside, what are you like inside, why don't you take me in, I'm going to die outside, so he's been coughing for 5 days, but now in these 5 minutes he's going to die".
According to the survey among doctors, the most common reasons for aggression from patients are lack of respect and emotional stress. Another survey shows that 80% of people believe that doctors are obliged to react immediately, and half expect doctors to know everything. According to Dr. Bakalov, society needs to understand that his colleagues are working at high speeds.
"We really give as much as we can. We can't be the rushing band and have everyone pass in 5 minutes."
The studies are part of the Medical Union's campaign titled "Overcome Anger".