Question

A nurse had cared for a terminally ill patient for over a month and always looked forward to spending time with the patient. When the patient died, the nurse experienced sadness and felt mildly depressed. Eventually, the nurse explains these feelings to a mentor. The mentor should counsel the nurse:

a. about stress-reduction strategies.
b. to seek therapy for dysfunctional grief.
c. about the experience of disenfranchised grief.
d. to consider taking a leave of absence to pursue healing.

Answer 1

The nurse experiencing grief after a patient's death should be counseled about stress-reduction strategies, considering the normalcy of such feelings which align with the depression stage of Küber-Ross's five stages of grief. Hospice care aims to offer palliative support and dignity to terminally ill patients in their own homes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to a nurse who is experiencing grief after the death of a terminally ill patient. Based on the information regarding Elizabeth Küber-Ross's five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance), the nurse's feelings of sadness and mild depression can be understood as a natural part of the grieving process, specifically the depression stage. It is not unusual for healthcare professionals to form attachments to their patients, especially after providing extended care, leading to feelings of loss when a patient passes away.

The mentor should counsel the nurse about stress-reduction strategies, as it provides a proactive approach to coping with grief without implying the nurse's grief is dysfunctional. The mention of disenfranchised grief might be relevant if the nurse's feelings are not acknowledged or are minimized by their environment, but the scenario does not explicitly state this. Therapy is an option, but suggesting it as the first and only approach for dysfunctional grief may be premature based on the nurse's mild depression. Lastly, a leave of absence may not be necessary unless the nurse's grief significantly impacts their ability to function professionally or personally. The nurse's feelings, as described, seem to be a normal response to the death of a patient they cared for over a prolonged period. Empathy and appropriate support from the mentor is key in this situation.

Regarding hospice care, its purpose is to provide palliative care and support to terminally ill patients and their families. This care is provided in a way that respects the dignity and comfort of the patient, often in their own home, allowing them to live out their last days in peace and with as much control over their situation as possible.