Question

Eleanor has always loved working with patients at a large cancer center in her city. Recently, however, you have noticed that the loss of one particular patient, Maria, has really been quite a blow for Eleanor. This is not the usual response Eleanor has to a patient’s death, and having worked at the center for 8 years, she has experienced her share of patient deaths. After Maria’s death, Eleanor wrote a brief post on her Facebook page saying, “Lost a very special person today,” and posting a funny little traditional Irish poem Maria liked to recite. She has also, by invitation, joined a special page Maria’s family has set up to celebrate Maria’s life and share memories. One day, a few of Eleanor’s colleagues criticize her for this while you are having lunch with Eleanor in the center’s cafeteria. “Sharing anything about a former patient is inappropriate,” one nurse tells her. The other nurse nods. “Even participating or joining the page at all is inappropriate.” After they leave, Eleanor looks at you, and then buries her face in her hands. “Do you think I was wrong?” she says. “Maria was my patient, I know, but we grew so close over the last months. She and her sisters and I became actual friends. I just thought my happy memories of some of Maria’s good moments might help other people celebrate her life too. In fact, I got incredibly positive feedback from Maria’s family, and even friends of hers that I didn’t know, on the anecdote I shared.” She lowers her hands and looks at you. “I don’t know. I know, I know, she was a patient, yes, and I was the nurse. But I loved her anyway. Am I unprofessional for grieving like this? Do you think maybe I’m depressed or having some kind of breakdown? What should I do?”

1. Given the criticism Eleanor has received, what specific type of grief is she most likely experiencing? How might it be contributing to Eleanor’s prolonged pain, and what can you do to help her?

2. Eleanor feels guilty for grieving like this for a patient and worries that she is experiencing depression. Based on what you know, how would you answer? What is the difference between normal grief and major depressive disorder?

Answer 1

1.Eleanor must be going through a phase of depression in her life on the loss of one of her most attached patient. Only proper caregiving and communication can help Eleanor to cross ths phase of her life. She must be made understood that death is a reality that anyone should face in their lie and she should engage her mind in other activities to forget this loss.

2.Yes, Eleanor is pasing through depression, her strong words in FB and also the way she reacted with her friends clearly makes us understand that.Grief is a normal reaction on how a person responds to a hard situation in hs life.Both grief and depressin includes intense sadness, fatigue, loss of apetite, sleep , inability to concentrate and less interest. The key difference is that grieving person stay connected with others, periodically experiences pleasure and rebuilds their normal routine within a few days. In depression , the connection with others and inability to experience pleasure for a long period is seen.