Resources for Nuses dealing with death

TazziRN, RN · Apr 7, 2006

Have you tried looking up stuff involving Joy Ufema? She is an expert on death and dying, both in helping pts and families, and the nurses caring for them. If you google her name you might find something.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2006

Soon, but not soon enough insurance will be covering a new diagnosis...at least according to my MD! It is called 'caregiver fatique' and will be in place for all medical and emergency people! It is for times of high stress or pending burn out...and your insurance will have to cover it!

I had one class in nursing school that was awesome! It dealt with the way we deal with death. We didn't know it at the time..and frankly it was silly at first.

We were told to grab some water color paints...and told to paint a normal piece of white paper the color we think of with death and dying. Mostly peoples looked like dark grey or black clouds...some with flecks of red or blue...

Then we spent a long time talking about it that semester.

Then the second to the last day, after we forgot about the first day really...she had us paint heart shaped cut outs the color of joy and patients going on to wonderful things...and in the center we had to put one thing as a nurse we were good with..and sign it.

The last day of school, she gave them back to us...the hearts glued to the center of the first paining we did! For some reason looking at the forefront of joy and self appreciation really did cover and came out over the dull drab colors of death.

I still have that! And it reminds me daily about that it is a given that people will die, will suffer, will break my heart...but my heart is still there...with all my skills and will...and it covers much more of the darkeness than I once thought!!!

Now I have a ritual when a patient dies...I go outside and say "hey _____, great knowing you and I hope to get a darn good tour of heaven when I get there by you! So till we meet again!"

And some of my favorites...well I plant a plant and watch it grow and bloom! That always makes me smile!

It is all about changing your perception about something very complex. And it differs from person to person...good luck on finding your own unique way of working with your thoughts...a work that is always under construction .

MackNJacks mom · Apr 7, 2006

And some of my favorites...well I plant a plant and watch it grow and bloom! That always makes me smile!
It is all about changing your perception about something very complex. And it differs from person to person...good luck on finding your own unique way of working with your thoughts...a work that is always under construction .

I love that idea, thanks for sharing! :heartbeat