End-of-life issues: difficult decisions and dealing with grief

Nurs Clin North Am. 2009 Jun;44(2):223-31. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2009.02.001.

Abstract

People face many challenging psychosocial and spiritual issues as they approach the end of their lives, and caregivers need advice on how to help them. Choosing among treatment options, handling grief, addressing unfinished business, and coping with loss of self-sufficiency are difficult for the dying person, and caregivers must deal with surrogate decision making, raw emotions in the patient and in family members, and the caregivers' own grief. Listening and coping skills are discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Advance Care Planning* / organization & administration
  • Attitude to Death*
  • Communication
  • Cost of Illness
  • Decision Making*
  • Empathy
  • Family / psychology
  • Freedom
  • Grief*
  • Humans
  • Nurse's Role / psychology
  • Nurse-Patient Relations
  • Patient Advocacy
  • Proxy / psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Social Support
  • Spirituality
  • Terminal Care* / organization & administration
  • Terminal Care* / psychology