Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Student Nurse's - Dealing with death.

Hi,

I am due to start as a student nurse later this month and would really appreciate any advice from more experienced student nurses, RN or in fact anyone who encounters death in the a healthcare setting.

My biggest concern is the family and friends of deceased patients, as when I see the loss of others I tend to get upset myself.

Any tips on how to handle the situations that I know I will be confronted with would help so much.

Thanks

Sarah x

Reply 1

L-Rees02

Hi Sarah,

I felt like this. I'm a healthcare assistant and I am due to start adult nursing in March.

Before healthcare I worked in admin for 10 years so it was completely new to me.

I surprised myself when dealing with my first death. I found the experience peaceful and I was proud of myself after performing "last offices" that I was the last one to treat this person with the greatest respect and dignity that they deserved. I had no emotional connection with the person so I didnt feel heartbroken, but obviously I was sad for their passing.

If you dont know what last offices are it is where you wash, change and prepare the body for family coming.

You might surprise yourself. If you think you're going to cry then cry. You're only human. Maybe hold it in until you're in private but dont feel bad for getting upset.

When i'm performing last offices I talk to them as if they were still with us and I was giving them their usual personal care. Its my way of dealing with what I'm doing and I find its respectful that they are still being treated as a person.

Dont worry yourself over it. I wont say you harden to these situations but you get better at how you handle it. Hope i've answered your question :-)

Reply 2

Charlotte's Web

Everyone handles it very differently. My first death was on my first nightshift working as an agency carer in a nursing home. It was difficult because it was a young guy with a brain tumour.

My best advice would be to focus on helping the person to have a 'good death'. You're in a privileged position as a student nurse - your patient may not be able to speak and may find it very painful to move at all. Being able to assist someone to have a more peaceful and comfortable end of life is something very few people get to do.

Relatives need you to be sincere and honest, and have trust in you that you did all you could to maintain the patient's dignity. How you support them emotionally really depends on your own personality. There is absolutely no shame in crying if you need to - families don't need you to be emotionally detached. You should definitely keep talking to your patient, even if you don't think they can hear you.

As has been said above, performing last offices is something you should definitely take the opportunity to do. It's the last thing you do for your patient and your last opportunity to give them really good care.

Reply 3

InArduisFouette

above 2 answers are vewry good answers and reflect the kind of things i would suggest are the most appropriate ways .

you need to learn early doors what the difference between sympathy and empathy is , and also expect the ignorant to think that you are cruel and hard for not being a jibbering wreck of sympathy ...