Running head: NURSING INTERVENTIONS DURING GRIEVING AND LOSS
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NURSING INTERVENTIONS DURING GRIEVING AND LOSS
Nursing Interventions During Grieving And Loss
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Death is a relatively discreet encounter, and each situation is unique.
Grieving is a reasonable response to the demise of a close person, and some people go through prolonged stages of psychological trauma that ultimately fades away. Several traditions use their own set of customs and etiquette to express sadness, with some having even developed strategies for dealing with death in unique ways. Whereas the anguish of a loss can last for a long time in some instances, it isn’t the majority of the time. Over time, people can adjust and develop a sense of normalcy. As a result, the nursing profession provides several interventions for dealing with individuals and families undergoing grief and loss in several ways, such as providing psychological and emotional support (Vera, 2013). This paper analyses the various diagnoses and interventions nurses take during such instances.
The patient, family members, and essential others are all included in the grief evaluation process. It starts when an individual is diagnosed with a terminal, chronic or acute illness and hospitalized in a health facility. Distress lasts for the person and other close people during a life-threatening condition and subsequently for the surviving during the grief phase. The nurse watches for signs of difficult sadness throughout the grieving phase (Oates, 2018). Emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms can all emerge from grief. The physical symptoms that can arise include feeling unwell, tremors, headaches, muscular aches, tiredness, sleeplessness, appetite loss, and losing or gaining weight. Neglect, anxiety, and illusions are some of the cognitive symptoms that may arise. Grief and loss symptoms can appear in various forms, and they might change from day to day. Sorrow manifests differently for each person, depending on their culture, age, finances, and past encounters with death. Furthermore, when patients deal with loss and grief, the caregiver must know that the close relatives frequently require support (Vera, 2013).
Nurses help the client cope with sadness, loss, death, and mourning during the bereavement period. The nurse commences the interaction by increasing confidence with the patient and then enabling the individual to express their emotions in a trustworthy, helpful, and unbiased setting, just like other nurse-client partnerships (Registered Nursing, 2021). The nurse also helps the client deal with loss and grief by inspiring them to understand and use practical approaches to deal with the situation while encouraging relatives and essential individuals to effectively assist the concerned patient and referring the patient to available assistance programs when necessary. In instances of anticipatory grieving, nurses could employ several measures. Anticipatory grieving occurs when a person experiences grief before the actual loss occurs (Vera, 2013). During such cases, nurses have to effectively inform the clients and their families of the anticipated reactions to loss. The nurses educate the patients and individuals that the responses are normal and assure that they are not alone throughout the period. Moreover, nurses could assess the clients and family’s fear regarding grief hence saving them from complicated grieving (a scenario where people fail to complete the grieving process).
In the actual loss, the nurses could involve the bereaving families by actively listening to their expressions regarding the loss of their loved ones. The nurses should also ensure that any questions raised regarding the death of their relative are answered in the most humane way possible. On several occasions, the families require time with their loved ones. Nurses should ensure that the relatives are given ample time to say their goodbyes. However, they must prepare the relatives mentally for what to expect (Williams, 2020). Suppose they need any therapy sessions to get over the loss. In that case, the nurses could refer them to professional caregivers such as psychologists to maintain their mental and psychological well-being.
References
Oates, J. R., & Maani-Fogelman, P. A. (2018). Nursing grief and loss.
Registered Nursing. (2021, August 23). Grief and Loss: NCLEX-RN || RegisteredNursing.org. https://www.registerednursing.org/nclex/grief-loss/
Vera, M. B. (2013, December 19). Loss and Grief. Nurseslabs. https://nurseslabs.com/loss-and-grief/
Williams, L. (2020, April 16). Supporting Grieving Families: tips for RNs and others on the front line. What’s Your Grief. https://whatsyourgrief.com/supporting-grieving-families-tips-rns-nurses/