Types of Loss
A patient describes feeling distressed because their last child just left for college.
What type of loss is this?
What is maturational loss? - anticipated loss
According to Kübler-Ross, a patient who says, “This can’t be happening” is in which stage?
What is denial?
What is the priority cue suggesting risk for complicated grieving?
“I don’t have anyone to talk to.”
What is lack of social support?
What is the BEST nursing response to a grieving patient?
What is therapeutic presence and active listening?
Which phrase is therapeutic?
“Your loss must be very difficult for you.”
What is acknowledging the patient’s feelings?
A woman has a mastectomy and says she “no longer feels like herself.”
What type of loss is the nurse identifying?
What is actual loss (also loss of body part/self-image)?
A patient tearfully expresses hopelessness two weeks after a miscarriage.
Is this normal or complicated grief?
What is normal grief?
A patient reports insomnia, weight loss, and inability to focus after the death of a spouse.
What should the nurse assess next?
What is risk for depression or suicide?
Which intervention helps families prepare for anticipatory grief?
What is providing education and emotional support about the dying process?
Which statement is NON-therapeutic?
“You’re strong—you’ll get through this.”
What is offering false reassurance?
A patient is grieving the expected death of their spouse who is terminally ill.
What type of loss is this?
What is anticipatory loss?
A patient has intense yearning, is unable to function, and avoids reminders for more than 12 months.
Which type of grief is suspected?
What is complicated (dysfunctional) grief?
A patient cries daily and feels guilty 18 months after the loss.
Which assessment tool or step is MOST important?
What is assessing the impact on functioning?
The patient cries while talking about a spouse who died 4 weeks ago.
What should the nurse do?
What is allow expression of emotions (supportive silence)?
A family disagrees about continuing life support.
What is the nurse’s role?
What is facilitating communication and supporting the patient’s wishes/advance directives?
A patient says they feel a “loss of normal life” after losing their job unexpectedly.
Which type of loss is this?
What is situational loss?
Which theory describes grief as tasks rather than stages?
What is Worden’s Tasks of Mourning?
Which finding requires QUICK intervention?
A patient says, “I just want to go be with my daughter.”
What is assessing suicide ideation (priority safety assessment)?
List one evidence-based nursing intervention for a patient experiencing complicated grief.
What is:
Referral to mental health/ grief counseling,
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or
Support groups.
A patient asks if their diagnosis is terminal.
What ethical principle guides the nurse?
What is veracity (truth-telling)?
A patient with progressive dementia can no longer recognize their family, and the family says “we feel like we lost her already.”
Identify the type of loss.
What is perceived loss?
A father refuses to clean his deceased child’s room for over 2 years and avoids all discussion about the child.
Which grief pattern does this suggest?
What is delayed or chronic complicated grief?
The nurse notes the patient is expressing anger, withdrawal, and poor self-care.
What is the nurse’s first action?
What is perform a focused grief assessment to determine risk/harm?
A patient says, “I don’t know how I’ll manage alone. I can’t do anything.”
What is the priority nursing intervention?
What is assessing coping skills and connecting to resources?
The family asks the nurse to “not tell dad the prognosis.”
What should the nurse do FIRST?
What is assess the patient’s desire to know information?