Concept of Family Health Care Related

Review Concept of Family Health Care related questions and content

A nurse cared for a terminally ill patient for over a month and always looked forward to spending time with the patient. When the patient died, the nurse experienced sadness and felt mildly depressed. Eventually, the nurse explains these feelings to a mentor. The mentor should counsel the nurse:

  • A. about stress-reduction strategies.
  • B. to seek therapy for dysfunctional grief.
  • C. about the experience of disenfranchised grief.
  • D. to consider taking a leave of absence to pursue healing.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The nurse is experiencing disenfranchised grief. Nurses often incur loss that is not openly acknowledged or publicly mourned. The loss of a patient may not be recognized or acknowledged by others; therefore the grief is solitary and uncomforted and may be difficult to resolve.