Stages of grief | Nursing homework help
The five stages of dying are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Denial is the first stage in which a person may deny or reject their diagnosis out of fear and disbelief. This can be a natural response to receiving bad news but it is important for healthcare professionals to provide them with accurate information so they can accept their reality. In order to help a patient in this stage I would focus on understanding where they are coming from by providing emotional support and showing empathy.
In the second stage of Anger, the individual may become frustrated with their situation as well as those around them who are perceived as not doing enough to help or fix it. It is important during this time for me to remain compassionate yet firm so that my patient does not take out their frustration on others. Additionally, I could provide resources such as counseling services or peer-support groups that will allow them to better process their emotions in a healthy way.
During the Bargaining phase, individuals often look for ways to escape death by making deals with God or anyone else they believe can save them from the inevitable outcome. It is important that I do not give my patients false hope but instead remind them of how precious life is and encourage them to make peace with what lies ahead before departing this world by finding closure through meaningful conversations with loved ones and writing letters expressing one’s feelings towards others etc.
Depression follows when an individual realizes there isn’t much time left for them on earth and recognize all that has been lost because of illness. During this phase it is essential for me to listen without judgement while providing comfort through engaging activities such as reading stories together or playing music that brings joy into a dark period of life.
Finally at Acceptance one starts preparing mentally and emotionally for death while recognizing its inevitability realizing there isn’t much control over what happens next even though expectations may be still present about how things will happen after passing away. To best assist someone during this time I should offer spiritual guidance if requested; if applicable talk about afterlife views such as reincarnation; let go off any lingering guilt guilt feelings; discuss final wishes.