Loss, Grieving, and Death Flashcards
An actual or potential situation in which something that is valued is changed or no longer available. People can experience the loss of the body image, a significant other, a sense of wellbeing, a job, personal possessions, or beliefs. Illness and hospitalization often produce losses
Loss
Type of loss recognized by others
Actual loss
Type of loss experienced by one person but cannot be verified by others
Perceived loss
Type of loss experienced before the loss actually occurs
Anticipatory loss
Loss of one’s job, the death of a child, or the loss of functional ability because of acute illness or injury
Situational loss
Losses that occur in the process of normal development such as the departure of grown children from the home retirement from a career, and the death of aged parents.
Developmental loss
Total response to the emotional experience related to loss
Grief
Subjective response experienced by the surviving loved ones after the death of a person with whom they have shared a significant relationship
Bereavement
The behavioral process through which grief is eventually resolved or altered: it is often influenced by culture, spiritual beliefs, and custom
Mourning
Type of grief response where it is brief but genuinely felt. This can occur when the lost object is not significantly important to the grieving person or may have been replaced immediately by another, equally esteemed object
Abbreviated grief
Type of grief response where it is experienced in advance of the event such as the wife who grieves before her ailing husband dies
Anticipatory grief
Type of grief response where it occurs when a person is unable to disclose the loss to other persons
Disenfranchised grief
Type of grief response where unhealthy grief that is pathologic in nature. Exist when the strategies to cope with the loss are maladaptive
Complicated Grief
Type of complicated grief where the same signs are expressed as with normal grief, but the bereaved may also have difficulty expressing the grief, may deny the loss, or may grieve beyond the expected time
Unresolved grief
Type of complicated grief where many of the normal symptoms of grief are suppressed and other effects including somatic are experienced instead
Inhibited grief
Type of complicated grief where it occurs when feelings are purposely or subconsciously suppressed until a much later time
Delayed grief
Type of complicated grief where the survivor who appears to be using dangerous activities as a method to lessen the pain of grieving
Exaggerated grief
5 Kubler-Ross Stages of Grieving
Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance
Refuses to believe that loss is happening. May assume artificial cheerfulness to prolong denial
Denial
Client or family may direct anger at nurse or
staff about matters that normally would not
bother them
Anger
Seeks to bargain to avoid the loss.
Bargaining
Comes to terms with the loss. May have decreased interest in surroundings and support
people. May wish to begin making plans.
Acceptance
Grieves over what has happened and what
cannot be
Depression/Grieving
What are the signs of impending clinical death?
Loss of Muscle tone
Slowing of the Circulation
Changes in Respirations
Sensory impairment
Cessation of pulse, respiration, and blood pressure is an indication of what kind of death?
Heart-lung death
The death that occurs when the higher brain center, the cerebral cortex is irreversibly destroyed
Cerebral death
What are the indications of death?
- Total lack of response to external stimuli
- No muscular movement, especially breathing
- No reflexes
- Flat encephalogram (brain waves)
What are the 3 stages of postmortem care?
Rigor Mortis
Algor Mortis
Livor Mortis
Stage of postmortem that refers to the stiffening of the body that occurs about 2 to 4 hours after death
Rigor Mortis
Stage of postmortem that refers to the gradual decrease of the body’s temperature after death
Algor Mortis
Stage of postmortem that refers to the discoloration of the body which appears in the lowermost or dependent areas of the body
Livor Mortis
True or False:
During the nursing interventions for the body after death, remove all jewelries except the wedding band that is taped to the finger.
True
