30919 Grieving Families

Course overview

Discussion of dealing with grieving families including the physical, emotional, and spiritual characteristics of the dying process, the grief process that families face when losing a loved one, how culture can have an effect on the grieving process, the role of the nurse in end-of-life care, and the ways nurses can deal with their own grief. Nurses and other healthcare workers are often faced with situations in which they must care for a patient receiving end-of-life care, while also taking care of the family during the grieving process. Nurses spend the greatest amount of time with patients and family members who are facing end-of-life care decisions, yet nurses often have little educational preparation regarding the death and dying process and end of life nursing care, creating challenges when caring for these individuals. Grief work may be very challenging for nursing professionals, and in order to be able to effectively care for these individuals and their families, nurses must first recognize and acknowledge their own feelings and beliefs regarding end-of-life issues, death, and grief. This program discusses end of life care and the grieving process to enable nurses to be comfortable and competent when caring for these individuals and their loved ones.