Summary Of Kavanaugh's Theory Of Grief

Throughout our life each of us will experience the loss of something or someone that will have an altering condition on our lives. The loss of a loved one and the grief that comes with it can transition your life unexpectedly. “Loss” is a normal part of life and how we all grieve with it may be different. Individuals respond differently to grief and use different coping mechanisms to help them get through the grieving process. Grief can be affected by the way the person died, religion, culture, and the personality of the person grieving; therefore, nurses need to have an understanding of the different theories and phases of grief that can occur in order to help individuals get through the grieving process. Leming and Dickinson (2011) discuss
Kubler-Ross’s theory consists of five stages that encompass denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Bowlby’s theory relied on childhood experiences to explain the grieving phases. These phases consist of shock, yearning and protest, despair, and recovery. Parkes’ theory of grieving focuses on four phases consisting of shock or numbness, yearning and pinning, disorganization and despair, and recovery while Worden has a different approach that starts with accepting the reality of loss; then, to work through and experience the pain of grief, adjust to an environment without the deceased person, withdraw emotionally from and move on (Buglass,
Depending on the specialty, some face this more than others. A patient’s death can be expected or unexpected. It is important for nurses to be there for the families as they go through a whirlwind of emotions. Nurses are expected to be the main source of support, empathy, and guidance. Kurian et al. (2014) define bereavement support in a nurses setting as “remaining with the family as they absorb the information that their loved one has passed, answer any questions they may pose, listening to them express their feelings and providing emotional support, and remaining with them as they view the deceased.” People grieve in different durations and ways ranging from depression, anger, or denial. A bereavement support program is a great resource to help grievers get through the process. Support programs can provide different strategies and materials for community resources (Kurian et al.,