Mental Health Nursing I NURS 1300 Unit VIII Spirituality, Death, and Grief.
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Transcript of Mental Health Nursing I NURS 1300 Unit VIII Spirituality, Death, and Grief.
Mental Health Nursing IMental Health Nursing INURS 1300NURS 1300
Unit VIIIUnit VIIISpirituality, Death, and Spirituality, Death, and
GriefGrief
Objective 1Discuss the basic concepts of
spirituality
Spirituality = searching for meaning in events that may be either joyous or tragic, and consists of transcendence, connection, balance, and purpose
Transcendence = finding meaning larger than the person’s individual self and life
Objective 1 (cont’d)
Connection = the integration of all the aspects of being human, which include the self, other people, the surrounding world, and, for some, a supreme being
Balance = harmony with self, others, and nature
Objective 1 (cont’d)
Purpose = a person’s understanding of the impact of his or her life and includes the understanding of the impact of his or her life and includes the understanding of life events
Religion = the system of beliefs and practices that usually involves a community of like-minded people
Objective 1 (cont’d)
The terms religion and spirituality are not necessarily interchangeable
People with strong spiritual beliefs and lives may not be “religious” individuals
Differentiation important because clients’ spirituality needs should be assessed even if they are not affiliated with a formal religion
Objective 2Describe beliefs and practices
related to dying and death
Bereavement practices can be greatly influenced by cultural and religious beliefs
Nurses should know what the client’s beliefs are in order to provide culturally sensitive care
Awareness of terminal illness closed awareness
family and patient recognize patient is ill lack of awareness related to impending
death mutual pretense
patient, family, and care providers know of the terminal prognosis
no one discusses the issue openly people make every effort to avoid the
subject open awareness
preferred by health care providers patient and others involved freely discuss
impending death
Fears associated with terminal illness and death fear of pain
tendency to associate death with pain pain control measures should be available to client to
relieve pain and discomfort fear of loneliness
most terminally ill patients don’t want to be alone many patients are afraid they will be abandoned by
loved ones who can’t cope with imminent death fear of meaninglessness
life review examination of actions and expression of regrets
about what might have been patients need to look at positive aspects of their lives the worth of the dying person needs to be expressed
Nursing Assessment
Limited to essential data Abbreviated physical assessment Neurological assessment important
Nursing Interventions
Open discussion of feelings Nonjudgmental listening Patient/family teaching
grief response is normal honesty in answering questions
and giving information Demonstrate respect for patient’s
privacy and need to talk (or not to talk)
Nursing Interventions (cont’d)
Encourage realistic hope within limits of the situation feelings of hopelessness and
powerlessness common in terminal illness
allow patient and family to identify and deal with what is within their control
patient-identified goals can be encouraged to restore sense of power
Physical care maintenance of physical needs/comfort
Objective 5List categories of loss
Change in self-image Developmental changes Loss of possessions Loss of significant others
Objective 6Discuss factors which influence a
grief reaction
Developmental considerations Religious and cultural beliefs Relationship with the lost entity Cause of death
Objective 7Discuss age-related beliefs about
death Infancy to 5 years (preschool)
little or no understanding of death death is temporary and reversible,
like sleep 6-9 years (school age)
death is final own death can be avoided death is related to violence wishing or hoping for death can make
it happen
Objective 7 (cont’d) 10 to 12 years (preadolescent)
death is an inevitable end to life grasps own mortality by discussing fear of
death or life after death expresses feelings of death based on adult
attitudes 13 to 18 years (adolescent)
afraid of prolonged death may act out defiance for death through
dangerous or self-destructive acts has a philosophical or religious approach to
death seldom thinks about death
Objective 7 (cont’d)
19 to 45 years (young adulthood) cultural and religious beliefs influence
attitudes death is seen as a future event
45 to 65 years (middle adulthood) accepts own mortality as inevitable faces death of parents and peers may experience death anxiety
Objective 7 (cont’d)
65 years and older (older adulthood) afraid of prolonged health problems faces death of family members and
peers sees death as inevitable examines death as it relates to
various meanings, such as freedom from discomfort
Objective 8Explore the nurse’s response to working with the terminally ill
client Not immune to feelings of loss when
caring for terminally ill or dying clients Feelings of helplessness and
powerlessness when dealing with death
Need to express feelings of sorrow, guilt, and frustration
Must be able to identify what can and can not be controlled
Objective 9Define the following terms: anticipatory grief, grieving
process, denial, palliative, hope, hospice, loss, and respite care
Anticipatory grief = the occurrence of grief work before an expected loss
Grieving process = a total individual experience associated with thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that is usually most profound when the loss experienced is death
Denial = refusal to acknowledge a loss; serves to protect the patient, family, or both from the reality of the loss
Palliative = care provided for the sole purpose of providing comfort to the client rather than curing any problems
Hope = a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life
Hospice = a type of care for the terminally ill which allows individuals to die with dignity and be surrounded by those who love them; clients enter hospice care when aggressive medical treatment is no longer an option or when the client refuses further aggressive medical treatment
Loss = the real or potential absence of someone or something that is valued
Respite care = the temporary care of an aged or disabled person provided on behalf of and in the absence of the usual caregiver to allow that caregiver relief from the stresses and responsibilities of providing continued care