THE PERFORMANCE OF HOSPITAL PSYCHOLOGY IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC: possibilities and limitations

Abstract

Since the beginning of the current coronavirus outbreak (SARS-CoV-2), which caused Covid-19, there has been concern over a disease that has spread rapidly in several regions of the world. The hospital reality changed with the pandemic: visits were interrupted, or started to occur virtually. Information is transmitted by telephone or online meetings, and physical contact and even farewell rituals have been rendered unfeasible, which asks the psychologist for emergency assistance to family members. It is known that psychology is gaining more space in the hospital, however, it is clear that these professionals have been finding challenges to exercise their function. Faced with a situation like the pandemic of the new coronavirus, psychologists did not have time to be trained for such a situation, which led them to seek quick answers, precautions in handling care and assistance to suspected cases. The direct exposure to the possibility of contagion, the little evidence about the best behaviors to be adopted, brought the objective of this article to systematize the practice of hospital psychology in times of pandemic with its possibilities and limitations, since the constant contact with suffering, pain and death can cause these professionals constant suffering.