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Question

Difficulty: MediumGrief and Loss

A practical nurse (PN) in a long-term care facility is talking with an older adult client whose spouse died three months ago. The client tearfully states, "Sometimes I still hear his footsteps in the hallway and think he is coming into the room. I feel like I am going crazy." Which of the following is the most therapeutic response by the PN?

  1. A
    You should participate in the afternoon social activities to keep your mind occupied.
  2. It is very common for people to experience the sensation of hearing or seeing their loved one while grieving.Answer
  3. C
    Since it has been three months, you should be moving into the acceptance stage of grief by now.
  4. D
    Everything will be fine; these thoughts will go away once you adjust to your new routine.

Answer

The most therapeutic response is to validate that experiencing the sensation of hearing or seeing a deceased loved one is a common and normal part of the grieving process.
The correct answer utilizes the therapeutic technique of providing information and validation. By reassuring the client that sensory experiences of the deceased are a common, normal aspect of the grieving process, the nurse alleviates the client's fear of losing their mind and encourages further expression of feelings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the client's statement and current emotional state.
The client is experiencing brief sensory illusions related to their deceased spouse and feels distressed, fearing they are 'going crazy.'
Understanding the client's experience is necessary to formulate a therapeutic and supportive response.
2
Evaluate the clinical significance of the client's experience.
Brief auditory or visual sensations of a recently deceased loved one are a normal manifestation of acute grief, not a sign of psychosis.
Differentiating normal grief manifestations from pathological conditions guides the nurse's intervention.
3
Select the response that utilizes therapeutic communication techniques.
The response that normalizes the experience provides empathy and validation, avoiding non-therapeutic blocks like advice-giving, false reassurance, or rigid expectations.
Therapeutic communication fosters trust and helps the client process their grief.

Key Concept

Therapeutic Communication in Normal Grief
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Topics

Grief and Loss

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