Coping with death is an individual experience and not easy for anyone. Dealing with this as a nurse and primary caretaker can cause undue stress. Nurses must be aware of the five stages of grief, which are denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Keeping in mind that each person goes through these stages at their own pace and what to expect while they are in these stages can not only create a caring environment for everyone but also the quality care and support the family’s needs. Being aware of their own feelings will ultimately help nurses find the right program for them to help with their own coping after the death of their patient. With a balance of knowing about grief and what to expect as well as how to
…show more content…
This, of course, is assuming that the family is aware of their loved one’s condition. Some people have no forewarning that death is coming which can often lead to an unhealthy grieving process. Understanding the five stages of the grieving process can reduce the amount of stress a patient and their family has. These stages are denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Nurses and family members need to keep in mind that grieving is different and takes a different amount of time for everyone. Julie Axelrod (2014) explained this well by stating that grieving is a personal process that has no time limit, nor one “right” way to do …show more content…
This is when the family and friends accept that their loved one is no longer with them and there is nothing that can be done to change it. This is not to say that the family is okay with the situation, but rather is able to move on with this new reality and plan their life accordingly (Seven Ponds, 2015). This is not usually a pleasant stage, but one that is void of feelings. This is when friends and families realize that death is inevitable and essentially give up the feelings they had in the previous stages of grief (Jennings et al, 2015). Since this stage happens toward the end, the nurse may never deal with it. If this happens, there is not much they can do for the family, as they are usually ready to move on with their
This, of course, is assuming that the family is aware of their loved one’s condition. Some people have no forewarning that death is coming which can often lead to an unhealthy grieving process. Understanding the five stages of the grieving process can reduce the amount of stress a patient and their family has. These stages are denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Nurses and family members need to keep in mind that grieving is different and takes a different amount of time for everyone. Julie Axelrod (2014) explained this well by stating that grieving is a personal process that has no time limit, nor one “right” way to do …show more content…
This is when the family and friends accept that their loved one is no longer with them and there is nothing that can be done to change it. This is not to say that the family is okay with the situation, but rather is able to move on with this new reality and plan their life accordingly (Seven Ponds, 2015). This is not usually a pleasant stage, but one that is void of feelings. This is when friends and families realize that death is inevitable and essentially give up the feelings they had in the previous stages of grief (Jennings et al, 2015). Since this stage happens toward the end, the nurse may never deal with it. If this happens, there is not much they can do for the family, as they are usually ready to move on with their