Grief and Loss

Grieving is a normal, subjective emotional response to loss and is essential for mental and physical health. How a client or family responds to loss, and how they express grief, varies widely. Factors that influence the process of grieving include age, stage of development, gender, culture, and personal reserves and strengths.

You should know the different stages of grieving and factors that influence how clients and families react to death to understand their responses and needs. You must also be knowledgeable about legal issues surrounding death, such as advance directives, autopsies, organ donation, and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders.

You also need to take the time to analyze your own feelings about death before you can effectively help others.

Additional nursing responsibilities include:

• Brainstorming ways to provide relief from loneliness, fear, and depression
• Helping clients maintain a sense of security
• Helping clients and families accept the loss
• Providing physical comfort measures
• Providing emotional support, structure, and continuity
• Allowing expression of thoughts and feelings