Nursing and Grief

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the nurse's ability to provide effective and appropriate support to family members in their grief is greatly dependent on the nurse's understanding of the processes of grief and bereavement. The paper defines grief, the tasks of grief and the social and cultural considerations inherent in grief. The paper points out that bereavement practices vary greatly depending on one's cultural background. The paper concludes that allowing for cultural and family traditions is the key in assisting the family members to effectively cope with grief following the death of a loved one. The paper also notes that the nurse should pay close attention to the family members to identify whether their grieving is normal or if the grieving has taken a unhealthy or self-destructive course.

Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Grief Defined
Types of Grief Identified
Social and Cultural Considerations of Grief
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The experience of grief is one that is shared across all cultures and as well grief is universal among human beings in all age groups and in all cultures and is "an adaptational response to different kinds of acute life crises..." (Cowles and Rodgers, 1991a; 1991b; Curry and Stone, 1992; Jacob, 1993; as cited by Kaunonen, 2000) In the experiential theory of grief, six dimensions of grief have been defined. (Hogan et al, 1996; Hogan, 1988, 1999b) The nurse's ability to provide effective and appropriate support to family members in their grief is greatly dependent upon the understanding the nurse possesses of the process of grief and bereavement."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cowles KV (1996) Cultural perspectives of grief: an expanded concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing 23(2): 287-294, 1996.
• McGoldrick M, Hines P, Lee E, et al (1986) Mourning rituals. Family Therapy Networker 10(6): 28-36, 1986.
• McGoldrick M, Almedia R, Hines PM, et al.(1991) Mourning in different cultures. In: Walsh F, McGoldrick M, Eds.: Living Beyond Loss: Death in the Family. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1991, pp 176-206.
• Kaunonen, Marja (2001) Support for a Family in Grief Tampere Univerisity 2001. Online available at: http://acta.uta.fi/pdf/951-44-4765-4.pdf.
• End of Life Topics (2006) Partners in Care. Michigan State University Online available at: http://www.partnersincare.msu.edu/endoflifecontent.asp?ID=9.

More papers on Nursing and Grief:

• Essay # 23147 : "Perinatal Loss and Grief"
• Term Paper # 146661 : "The Grief Process"
• Research Paper # 98810 : "Death, Dying and Nursing Ethics"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: