Coping in Healthy Ways
Respect your natural tendency to grieve and give yourself some space to do it—the sooner the better. This may mean seeking support and understanding from other nurses immediately after the patient’s death, taking a break (or turning down an extra shift when you are feeling emotionally vulnerable) or attending a formal or informal debriefing to discuss the event with colleagues.
The last option may be particularly helpful if you are haunted by feelings that you might have done more to prevent the patient’s death. Often, other nurses and doctors on the case are feeling the same doubts and guilt. Having a safe space to talk through these issues without judgment is important since stifling your feelings can lead to anxiety, depression and burnout over the long term. Remember that most people would never even consider entering a field where making a single mistake has the potential to be fatal. It takes a lot of courage to face that risk every day, and it’s natural to second guess yourself after a particularly harrowing case.
Depending on how close you became to the patient’s family, you may want to keep in touch with them in the days after the patient’s death. You might send written condolences, bring food to them or attend the funeral. If this doesn’t feel appropriate in a given circumstance, spend time on nurturing or soothing activities for yourself instead. All of these acts can help your healing process by giving you something positive and proactive to focus on.
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