To give support to many problems arising from departments of heartsurgery, dialysis and transplantation, and intensive care units, many psychiatrists and clinical psychologists assist to patients, with an often limited 'life-span'. Their being 'hooked up to the machine', feelings of hopelessness and helplessness are stressful events.
The author of this article, working in a hospital (800 patients) - intensive care, coronair care and dialysis department - describes the problems of stress and psychiatrie symptoms arising from the dialysis department. These problems are related to other groups of patients in similar situations.