Group Presentation

“The Experience of
Loss, Death, and
Grief ”
By:
MADAYAG, RUTH L.
MELEN, CHELYN PEARL R.
PEROLINO, THEO P.
 Overview

Introduction
Factors
Assessment

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 The emotional response to a loss, defined as the
individualized and personalized feelings and responses
that an individual makes to real, perceived, or anticipated

GRIEF loss. These feelings may include anger, frustration,

loneliness, sadness, guilt, regret, and peace. Grief affects
survivors physically, psychologically, socially, and
spiritually.

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 “Five Different
Categories of Grief ”

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 Anticipatory grief
Is defined as grief before a loss, associated with diagnosis of an acute,
chronic, and/or terminal illness experienced by the patient, family, or
caregivers. Examples of anticipatory grief include actual or fear of
potential loss of health, independence, body part, financial stability,

GRIEF choice, or mental function.

Acute grief
begins immediately after the death of a loved one and includes the
separation response and response to stress. During this period of acute
grief, the bereaved person may be confused and/or uncertain about their
identity or social role. They may disengage from their usual activities and
experience disbelief and shock that their loved one is gone.

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 Disenfranchised grief
Grief over any loss that is not validated or recognized. Those affected by
this type of grief do not feel the freedom to openly acknowledge their
grief. Individuals at risk for disenfranchised grief are those who have lost
loved ones to stigmatized illnesses or events, such as AIDS. Mothers and/or

GRIEF
fathers may grieve over terminated pregnancies or stillborn babies.

Normal grief
includes the common feelings, behaviors, and reactions to loss.
Physical symptoms such as hollowness in the stomach, tightness in
the chest, weakness, heart palpitations, sensitivity to noise,
breathlessness, tension, lack of energy, and dry mouth

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 Complicated grief
seen in 10-20% of individuals experiencing the death of a romantic partner
and with higher estimates for parents who have lost a child. According to
the ELNEC, there are four types of complicated grief, including chronic
grief, delayed grief, exaggerated grief, and masked grief.
GRIEF
IRisk factors for developing complicated grief include sudden or
traumatic death, suicide, homicide, a dependent relationship with the
deceased, chronic illness, death of a child, multiple losses, unresolved
grief from prior losses, concurrent stressors, witnessing a difficult
dying process such as pain and suffering, lack of support systems, and
lack of a faith system.

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 As a nurse, you can greatly assist patients and families

How to assess members as they move through the grieving process

by being willing and committed to spending time with
patient who them. Listen to their stories, be present, and bear
witness to their pain. Remember that you cannot fix
undergoes grief, everything, but taking time to assess their symptoms
of grief helps you identify other resources for support.
death, and loss?

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Loss
 loss
The feelings of loss are commonly associated with the
death of a loved one, but they can be experienced for
several reasons. People may experience grief and feelings
of loss about a significant change, such as the loss of a job,
loss of function, loss of a limb, loss of a pet, the feeling of
loss of control, and loss of loved ones.
Stages of Grief
According to Kubler & Ross emotions of
stages that allows man to accept
tomeone’s death
Stages:
Shock
Depression
Denial
Testing
Anger
Acceptance
Bargaining
 Shock
A person may react to the learning
of a loss with numbed disbelief.
Shock may provide an emotional
buffer and can protect an individual
from being overwhelmed all at once.
Denial
Denial allows an individual to pace their
feelings of grief. This is the beauty of
denial; it is nature's way of dealing with
only what can be handled. Denial does
not just mean denying that a loss has
happened; although this may occur,
denial often restricts the experience of
all the feelings. As an individual can
accept that this loss is their reality, they
can move into the healing process, and
denial will begin to diminish.
 Anger
Experiencing anger allows for a connection and
something to hold on to. Anger may be directed
at the lost thing or person, the doctors, friends,
family, God, etc. Under the anger is the
individual's pain. Anger provides structure, and
that is better than the preceding numbness. It
can be challenging for some to feel the anger;
sometimes, it is easier to suppress it. Feeling the
anger and addressing the anger is part of the
grieving process. Awareness that this is a step in
the process is essential for the person
experiencing grief and any caretaker involved.
 Bargaining
For example: "I would do anything if you took the hurt
away" or "I would never sin again if my loved one
were spared." Bargaining may come in the form of
"what if" statements. For example, "What if we found
the cancer sooner?" or "What if this accident never
happened?" These "what ifs" are a way to negotiate
that an individual wants life to return to how it once
was. Guilt will often accompany this frame of
thinking. This stage may be experienced at any point
in the grieving process and exhibits that individuals
can move through the different stages throughout
their healing process in several ways.
Depression After the thoughts of the past in bargaining,
thoughts of the present flood in. They realize
that the situation is actual. Empty feelings come
forward, and one's grief moves in on a deeper
level than before. This type of depression is not
a sign of mental illness, although reaching out
for help may be the right step. It is an
appropriate response to a significant loss. An
individual may withdraw from their daily life
activities and feel a fog of intense sadness. To
not experience any depression after the loss of
a loved one would be unusual. The stage of
depression is a necessary step in the healing
process that is grieving.
 Testing
An individual may try to find realistic
solutions for dealing with and living with this
loss. This is the process of rebuilding their life
in their new reality. The individual may
require further resources during this stage as
they are trying out what works for their
unique way of life. It is also possible to flow
in and out of other stages during the testing
phase. Providing resources that may be
appropriate during this phase can be very
helpful for the individual to try out as they
may feel ready for that experience.
 Acceptance
As a stage, acceptance is about accepting
that this is their new reality and that it is
permanent. Life cannot continue as it once
did but can and does continue through
acceptance. Roles will be reorganized. New
connections and relationships will be made.
Individuals experiencing acceptance
understand that they must listen to their
needs and evolve. There may be days that
are harder than others, but an individual
who has given their grief the time it has
needed to heal will begin to live again.
.
 What nursing Nurses are in the ideal position to assist patients with
identifying and expressing their feelings related to
intervention can loss. The most important intervention that nurses can
provide is active listening and offering a supportive
be used to help presence. Actively listening to the bereaved helps
patients who them express their feelings and relate the emotions
and feelings related to the loss.
experience grief,
loss and death?

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 It is essential to assess characteristic signs of
grief and loss and address them appropriately.
The nurse must start this process by building
rapport with the patient and any present loved
What are the support
ones. Please encourage them to speak openly and that a nurse can offer
honestly about their emotional and physical
feelings. Utilize active listening skills and provide during their patients
a nonjudgmental environment.
grief?

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 Grief may affect individuals differently but can be
Factors that may affect
exhibited through signs and symptoms such as
the patient’s altered immune responses, distress, anger, sleep
physiological state disturbances, withdrawal, pain, panic, and suffering. It
may be evident by one’s lack of understanding of
when suffering from death and its severity and finality of the loss.
loss, death and grief?

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Thank You
BSN1 N05 Submitted By:
MADAYAG, RUTH L.
MELEN, CHELYN PEARL R.
PEROLINO, THEO P.