GRIEF REACTION

Course overview

GRIEF IS A NATURAL AND UNIVERSAL RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. THE GRIEF EXPERIENCE IS NOT A STATE BUT A PROCESS. MOST INDIVIDUALS RECOVER ADEQUATELY WITHIN A YEAR AFTER THE LOSS; HOWEVER, WHEN INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE AN EXTENSION OF THE STANDARD GRIEVING PROCESS THEY ARE SAID TO BE EXPERIENCING COMPLICATED GRIEF OR PROLONGED GRIEF DISORDER, WHICH IS THOUGHT TO RESULT FROM FAILURE TO TRANSITION FROM ACUTE TO INTEGRATED GRIEF. SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE GRIEF INCLUDE TEARFULNESS, SADNESS AND INSOMNIA AND TYPICALLY REQUIRE NO TREATMENT. INTENSE GRIEF MAY TRIGGER THE ACUTE ONSET OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION (MI), ESPECIALLY IN THOSE WITH HIGHER CARDIOVASCULAR RISK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM A GRIEF REACTION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN HELPING PATIENTS DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE.