Chapter 37: Perinatal Loss, Bereavement and Grief Flashcards
A family is visiting two surviving triplets. The third triplet died 2 days ago. What action indicates that the family has begun to grieve for the dead infant?
d. Refers to the dead infant in the past tense
A newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is dying as a result of a massive infection. The parents speak to the neonatologist, who informs them of their son’s prognosis. When the father sees his son, he says, “He looks just fine to me. I can’t understand what all this is about.” What is the most appropriate response or reaction by the nurse at this time?
b. “This must be a difficult time for you. Tell me how you’re doing.”
During the initial acute distress phase of grieving, parents still must make unexpected and unwanted decisions about funeral arrangements and even naming the baby. What is the nurse’s role at this time?
c. To ensure that the parents, themselves, approve the final decisions
A nurse caring for a family during a loss might notice that a family member is experiencing survivor guilt. Which family member is most likely to exhibit this guilt?
Grandparents
When assisting the mother, father, and other family members to actualize the loss of an infant, which action is most helpful?
c. Ensuring the baby is clothed or wrapped if the parents choose to visit with the baby
Parents are often asked if they would like to have an autopsy performed on their infant. Nurses who are assisting parents with this decision should be aware of which information?
d. Some religions prohibit autopsy
Parents have asked the nurse about organ donation after that infant’s death. Which information regarding organ donation is important for the nurse to understand?
b. Organ donation can aid grieving by giving the family an opportunity to see something positive about the experience.
. Which statement is the most appropriate for the nurse to make when caring for bereaved parents?
d. “What can I do for you?”
After giving birth to a stillborn infant, the woman turns to the nurse and says, “I just finished painting the baby’s room. Do you think that caused my baby to die?” What is the nurse’s mostappropriate response?
d. “I can understand your need to find an answer to what caused this. What else are you thinking about?”
Which options for saying “good-bye” would the nurse want to discuss with a woman who is diagnosed with having a stillborn girl?
c. “When your baby is born, would you like to see and hold her?”
During a follow-up home visit, the nurse plans to evaluate whether parents have progressed to the second stage of grieving (phase of intense grief). Which behavior would the nurse not anticipate finding
b. Numbness or lack of
Which finding would indicate to the nurse that the grieving parents have progressed to the reorganization phase of grieving?
b. The parents are discussing sex and a future pregnancy, even if they have not yet sorted out their feelings
Which statement most accurately describes complicated grief?
c. Is an extremely intense grief reaction that persists for a long time
A client is diagnosed with having a stillborn infant. At first, she appears stunned by the news, cries a little, and then asks the nurse to call her mother. What is the proper term for the phase of bereavement that this client is experiencing?
b. Acute distress
