Aging death and bereavement for nursing students

It's all about bereavement

1. Aging death and bereavement

2. Definition of grief The normal response to a major loss, such as the death of a loved one. Grief may also be felt by a person with a serious, long-term illness or with a terminal illness. It may include feelings of great sadness, anger, guilt, and despair . A patient’s death is an unfortunate yet sometimes inevitable event at hospitals. It bring into play a whole series of defence mechanisms.

3. Stages of grief A ccording to Dr Elizabeth kubller rose the process of dying involve five stages Denial ; the patient refuses to believe that he is dying .(the laboratory made an error) . Anger ; the patient may become angry at the nurse or doctor (,its your fault that I am dying .you should have checked on me weekly) doctor or nurse must learn not to take such comments personally . Bargainging ; the patient may try to strike a bargain with GOD or some higher being .( i will give half of my money to charity ,if I can get rid of this disease.) Depression ; the Patient becomes preoccupied with death and may become emotionally detached (I feel so distant from other and so hopeless ) some people become stuck in this stage and ,may b diagnosed with complicated grief reaction .

4. Acceptance ; the patient is calm and accept his fate ( I am ready to go now) A term a loss of a loved one, there is a normal grief .this reaction also occurs with ,other losses ,such as loss of a body part or younger people with a miscarriage or abortion . A normal grief reaction must be distinguished from a complicated grief reaction which is often pathologic . Characteristics of normal grief (bereavement ) Greif is characterized initially by shock and denial. In normal grief ,the bereave may experience an illusion that deceased person is physically present . Normal grief generally sub sides after 1-2 years ,although some features may continue longer. Even a term they have subsided, symptoms may return on holidays or special occasion .

5. The mortality rate is high or closed relatives (specially widowed men)in the first year of bereavement . Comparison between normal grief and complicated grief reaction normal grief reaction (bereavement ) minor weight loss (for example <5 pounds) Minor sleep disturbance Mild guilty feelings Illusion Attempts to return to work and social activities

6. Cries and expresses sadness Severe symptoms resolve within two months . Moderate symptoms subsides within one year. Management include increased calls and visit to doctor, Greif peer ,support groups and short acting sleeps agents for example zolpidem for transient problems with sleep. Complicated grief reaction Significant weight loss for example five percent of body weight . Significant sleep disturbance Intense feelings of guilt and worthlessness

7. Hallucination or delusions Resumes few ,if any ,work or social activities. Considers or attempt suicide Moderate symptoms persist for one year. Severe symptoms persist for two months . Management includes antidepressant ,antipsychotics ,electroconvulsive therapy ,as well as increased contact with doctor . Nurse or doctors response to death the major responsibility of the doctor or nurse is to give support to the dying Patient and the patients family Generally , doctor or nurse make the patient completely aware of the diagnosis and prognosis . However , a physician should follow the patients

8. Lead as to how much he or she wants to know about the condition . With the patients permission ,the doctor or nurse may tell the family the diagnose and other details the illness Doctor or nurse of teneel a sense of failure at not prevebting the death of a patient . They may deal with this sense by becoming emotionally detached from the patient . Such detachment can preclude helping the patient and family through this important transition