Question

nurse's role in supporting your client through the dying experience.

Answer 1

Death is difficult for the dying person , as well as for the persons family, friends and care givers. For a dying client a nurse have to provide personal support in maintaining an acceptable lifestyle. The nurse aims in enabling a peaceful death for the client

. The role of the nurses in supporting the client through the dying experience are

1. Establishing a caring relationship with client and family

Caring relationship build trust and the nurses personal concern and support are often highly valued by both the client and family alike. This will help the client and family in dealing the stress effectively. Providing information about treatment options or the anticipated unfolding of an illness help to conserve the dignity of the clients and families plagued by not knowing what the future holds.

2. Symptom control

Comfort for a dying client requires management of symptoms of disease and therapies. Worry or fear are common in many clients and may highten their perception of discomfort. One symptom common among the terminally ill is dyspnoea, air hunger. The sense of suffocation can cause great panic in the client and significant stress in the care giver.Judisious administration of morphine and anxiolytics for relief of respiratory distress also helpful for the client

3. Maintaining dignity and self esteem

Nurse can promote clients self esteem and dignity by taking a therapeutic stance that conveys respect for the client as s whole person with feelings, accomplishments, and passions independent of illness and experience.

Knowing the client facilitates choice of therapies that promotes clients decision making and autonomy.

For many clients preservation of dignity and self esteem can be achieved by providing spiritual comfort. Basic to promoting clients self esteem and dignity is attending to clients appearance and surrounding. Cleanliness, absence of body odours, attractive clothing, and personal grooming all contributes to sense of worth.The nurse allows the client to make nursing care decisions , keep client and family well informed, maintaining privacy during nursing care procedures also helpful in maintaining dignity and self esteem.

4. Preventing abandonment and isolation

A terminally ill patient is often fearful of dying alone. Nurse has to take measures to avoid the loneliness expedited by the client.

5. Provide a comfortable and peaceful environment.

Make the client comfortable using frequent repositioning keeping the bed linens dry and controlling extraneous notice. The nurse offers client frequent back massage and guided imagery exercises and allows the client time to listen to preferred types of music.

6. Support for grieving the family

The nurse keeps the family informed so that they can anticipate the type of symptoms the client likely experience and implications for care. The nurse encourages the family members to express their grief openly with the client and to give the client opportunity to discuss any remaining concerns and requests.