A Nursing Student Attending a Conference on Grief Says to One

question 24

Multiple Choice

A nursing student attending a conference on grief says to one of the presenters, "The patient I cared for last week in clinical told me she cried for 4 months after she lost her cat. Isn't that an excessive amount of time to cry over a cat?" What is the most appropriate response by the presenter?

• A)"Yes, 4 months is an excessive amount of time. Encourage her to obtain counseling."
• B)"No, when I lost my dog, I cried for 4 months. It was a difficult experience for me"
• C)"As long as the patient is able to get to other things in her life, then it is okay."
• D)"No, all people grieve differently depending on how meaningful the loss was in their life."

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Definitions:

Reassure

To give comfort or confidence to someone to alleviate their fears or concerns.

Coping Strategies

Techniques or methods used to manage stress, anxiety, or challenges in a healthier manner to minimize negative impacts on one’s life.

Anxiety Level

The degree to which an individual feels anxious or worried, ranging from mild to severe.

Disturbed Thought Processes

Alterations in thinking that manifest as errors in perception, memory, thought content, and stream of thought, often observed in conditions like schizophrenia.