Question

A nurse is teaching a client who recently lost his partner to a terminal illness. The client asks how his 4-year-old son is expected to react to the death of his partner. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

-A preschooler has no concept of death
-A preschooler is often interested in what happens to the body after death
-A preschooler often believes that death is reversible
-A preschooler understands that death happens to everyone

Answer 1

A preschooler typically believes that death is reversible and may not fully grasp its permanence, while Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief apply more to older children and adults with an understanding of death's finality.

Step-by-step explanation:

When explaining to a client how their 4-year-old son might react to the death of a parent, it is important to include that a preschooler often believes that death is reversible. This is a typical developmental belief at that age. Additionally, while preschoolers may show curiosity about what happens after death, they do not have a full concept of death as permanent or an understanding that it happens to everyone. They may also engage with the concept in a way that is related to their experiences from stories or cartoons where characters often 'come back to life.'

By contrast, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – are commonly associated with older children and adults who have a more developed understanding of the finality of death. These stages can manifest differently in individuals and can occur out of order or with some stages not experienced at all. It's also important to note that these stages can apply to any form of loss, and not just the death of a loved one.