Understanding Grief for Nursing Assistants

Course overview

Grief and loss are often not comfortable topics to discuss with patients. Just the thought of a loss conjures up in our minds personal memories of events, hard times, loneliness, anger, and confusion. Trying to understand and heal from a significant loss, whether it is a person, a pet, a house, an income, the loss of respect, or a goal, to name a few, can be difficult and scary. As a nursing professional, understanding the grief process and methods of assisting patients in their grief is a necessary skill when working in any setting. This course discusses types of loss and grief, symptoms and stages of grief, and how to cope with loss and grief.