1. Types of EOL Care + Grief

what is palliative care?

care focused on comfort and quality of life at any stage of serious illness

• may continue alongside curative treatment

what is hospice care?

comfort-focused care when life expectancy is 6 months or less

• curative treatment is no longer pursued

• family support continues after death

how should the nurse communicate with a dying child and their siblings?

give honest, developmentally appropriate explanations;include siblings and prepare them for what to expect

what should guide care for a dying child and family?

• comfort and quality of life

• the child’s and family’s wishes

• cultural and spiritual practices

what is the nurse’s role in organ donation referral?

notify the organ procurement organization when referral criteria are met

• donation specialists determine eligibility

who can support a dying child and family?

hospice team, social worker, spiritual advisor, child life specialist

• books and support groups may also help

what are the Kübler-Ross stages of grief? *

denial → anger → bargaining → depression → acceptance

• stages may be revisited or skipped

what is anticipatory grief? *

grief before an expected loss

what is uncomplicated grief? *

grief that gradually moves toward adjustment

• temporary periods of renewed grief are common

what is complicated or prolonged grief? *

intense grief that persists, usually beyond 1 year, and interferes with functioning

• assess self-care and support needs

what is disenfranchised grief? *

grief that society does not acknowledge or support

what is unresolved grief associated with? *

traumatic or unexpected loss, such as a child’s death or suicide

what does healthy adjustment to grief look like?

learning to live with the loss and gradually resuming life

• grief does not have to disappear