Question

Children of a widowed parent confer with the nurse; their surviving parent repeatedly relates the details of finding the deceased parent not breathing, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), going to the hospital by ambulance, and seeing the pronouncement of death. The family asks, What can we do? The nurse should counsel the family:

a. they should share their feelings with the surviving parent and ask for the retelling to stop.
b. retelling the story should be limited to once daily to avoid unnecessary stimulation.
c. retelling memories is to be expected as part of the aging process.
d. repeating the story is a helpful and a necessary part of grieving.

Answer 1

The nurse should counsel the family that retelling the story is a helpful and necessary part of grieving.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should counsel the family that retelling the story is a helpful and necessary part of grieving. When individuals experience a loss, it is common for them to repeatedly recall the details of the event as a way of processing their emotions and coming to terms with the loss. By repeating the story, the family members are engaging in a form of therapeutic storytelling that allows them to express their feelings and memories surrounding the deceased parent. This process can be beneficial in facilitating the grieving process and providing emotional support.