Grieving in the nursing consultation office
Section: TEACHING TO LEARN
Authors
Leticia Solís Carpintero
Position
Enfermera de Atención Primaria en el Centro de Salud La Plata, Área III, Torrejón de Ardoz.
Contact email: leticiasolis4@hotmail.com
Abstract
Grieving is defined as the physical, behavioural, cognitive-intellectual, affection and spiritual adaptation an individual undergoes when faced with the loss of a loved one. However, grieving is not only associated with the loss of a loved one but also to the loss of “something”, be it a job, a pet or the individual’s health. Grieving can cause frustration, pain, behaviours associated to the loss of love and affection and many other emotions. A properly trained primary care nurse should recognise and assess the situation, determining whether the grieving process is within the expected or whether it has elements that might make it dysfunctional. Based on this nursing assessment, a care plan should be implemented so as to help the griever satisfactorily come to terms with the loss.
The task of a nursing consultation office is to increase the number of care plans on grieving. Throughout life, our patients are subjected to losses on a nearly daily basis and these losses can manifest as alterations in their chronic diseases, somatisations or onset of new pathologies.
Because of these associated manifestations, special nursing care should be given to provide patients with supportive approaches, including the recruitment of the main carer of the terminal patient and the early detection of the grievers and their follow up. These supportive strategies can be provided on an individual basis or ny attending a support group. In summary, primary care should be able and prepared to help citizens in their grieving process.
Keywords:
grieving; death; Kübler-Rossnursing
Versión en Español
Título:
