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ConcepL analysls of grlef

What is grieI?

The phenomenon GrieI is the emotional suIIering one experiences when something or someone
loved is taken away; it is a natural response to the loss in our everyday liIe be it in the general
society or in the practice oI health service delivery. GrieI may be associated with the death oI a
loved one and this type oI loss does oIten cause the most intense grieI. GrieI is experienced by
any race, sex and age. Other losses can cause grieI and these includes; a loved one`s serious
illness, a relationship breakup, loss oI health, losing a job, a miscarriage, loss oI a cherished
dream, loss oI a Iriendship to mention a Iew.
In nursing and midwiIery practice grieI is anticipated when a patient is made aware oI his health
status usually a chronic or terminal disease state, when a body part is about to be or is actually
lost, the potential loss oI a wanted pregnancy; a Ietus or a neonate oIten leads to a state oI grieI.
GrieI is actually experienced when the one goes through the process or to put it better, when one
actually experiences any oI the above stated occurrences.
How can practitioners support clients grieving when they do not know what it really means?
To be able to support a client and or a relative experiencing grieI, it is important that health care
providers understand the concept GrieI`, what the meaning is, what grieI entails and by
ClariIying what it is will enable them to plan, implement and eventually analyse the support and
care services available and rendered to the public in their quest oI rendering holistic evidence
based nursing care. ClariIication will precede looking in literature at the many ways that the
term has been used. From these deIinitions, the critical attributes oI the concept will be
determined, Iollowed by example cases using those attributes. The antecedents and consequences
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ConcepL analysls of grlef
will be determined Iollowed by on operational deIinition oI the GrieI that includes all the critical
attributes then the empirical reIerents will be identiIied and described.
Uses of the concept
Health care providers must be ever mindIul oI that well-known Biblical saying, 'to everything
there is a season, a time to be born and a time to die. GrieI is normal emotions that are very
personal and are accompanied by pain and hopelessness in patients across cultures. Because the
ways in which people express their Ieelings oI grieI, sadness and loss are highly individual, care
oI the grieving patient and Iamily in any health care setting must be considered and implemented
in a way that is sensitive to the unique needs oI each patient.

The dictionary deIinition oI grieI is 'pain oI the mind produced by loss or misIortune. Whether
experienced as a result oI the death oI a loved one, a divorce, the end oI a relationship or some
other traumatic liIe change, grieI is an occurrence that transcends such categories as race, age
and gender. It is a multiIaceted, individualized and personalized trial.1
The American Heritage Dictionary (2009), deIines grieI as 'deep mental anguish arising Irom
bereavement, annoyance or Irustration or trouble or diIIiculty in doing something it also
presents the use oI grieI inIormally as
The Collins dictionary (2003) says grieI is a deep or intense sorrow or distress, especially at the
death oI someone or; something that causes keen distress or suIIering. It could be inIormally
seen as trouble or annoyance or to end unsuccessIully or disastrously.


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ConcepL analysls of grlef
iterature
According to Stroebe and Hansson (1993), grieI when seen through the lens oI the medical
model demonstrates that during the time Iollowing a signiIicant loss, one's immunity is reduced
and susceptibility to disease and even death is increased thus the trauma an inIormation that is
disclosed without adequate pre counseling can bring to the client. This could be related to some
physiological occurrences explained by the Mosby dictionary.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, (2009) explains that grieI originates Irom the atin word 'gravis
which means 'heavy; grieI is a nearly universal pattern oI physical and emotional responses to
bereavement, separation, or loss. It is time linked and must be diIIerentiated Irom depression.
It describes it as having physical components that are similar to those oI Iear, rage, and pain:
Stimulation oI the sympathetic portion oI the autonomic nervous system can cause increased
heart and respiratory rates, dilated pupils, sweating, bristling oI the hair, increased blood Ilow to
the muscles, and increased energy reserves and also slows down digestion. The emotional
components proceed in stages Irom alarm to disbelieI and denial, to anger and guilt, to a search
Ior a source oI comIort, and, Iinally, to adjustment to the loss. The way in which a grieving
person behaves is greatly aIIected by the culture in which he or she has been raised.

According to Vorvick, Merrill and Zieve,(2010) in their review said Family and Iriends can oIIer
emotional support during the grieving process. Most times outside Iactors can aIIect the normal
grieving process thereIore the need to contact people Ior help. Among the people who might be
contacted are; the Clergy, Mental health specialists, SelI-help groups and Social workers.
The acute phase oI grieI usually lasts up to 2 months. Some milder symptoms may last Ior a year
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ConcepL analysls of grlef
or longer.
Psychological counseling may help a person who is unable to Iace the loss (absent grieI
reaction), or who has depression with grieving. GrieI and loss can aIIect your overall health. It
can lead to depression or excessive alcohol or drug use. GrieI that lasts Ior more than two months
and is severe enough to interIere with daily liIe may be a sign oI more serious illness, such as
major depression. However in some cases it may take about a year or longer to overcome strong
Ieelings oI grieI, and to accept the loss.
Support Groups; where available the use oI support groups have been reported to be oI great
help usually they share common experiences and problems to help each other out.

8eferences
owell Au Crlef bereavemenL and ad[usLmenL dlsorders ln SLern 1A 8osenbaum !l lava M
8lederman ! 8auch SL eds MassachuseLLs Ceneral PosplLal Comprehenslve Cllnlcal sychlaLry 1sL ed
hlladelphla a Mosby Llsevler 2008chap 38
kuLner !S kllbourn kM 8ereavemenL Addresslng challenges faced by advanced cancer paLlenLs Lhelr
careglvers and Lhelr physlclans rlm Care 200936823844 ubMed
8evlew uaLe 2/18/2010

8evlewed by Llnda vorvlck Mu Medlcal ulrecLor MLuLx norLhwesL ulvlslon of hyslclan AsslsLanL
SLudles unlverslLy of WashlngLon School of Medlclne and Mlchelle 8enger Merrlll Mu lnsLrucLor ln
Cllnlcal sychlaLry ueparLmenL of sychlaLry Columbla unlverslLy Medlcal CenLer new ?ork n? Also
revlewed by uavld Zleve Mu MPA Medlcal ulrecLor AuAM lnc




Worden (1991) believes that grieI is more than just emotion; it consists oI Iour dimensions. He
has provided the Iollowing list oI the most common maniIestations oI each:
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ConcepL analysls of grlef
O feelings -- sadness, anger, guilt and reproach, anxiety, loneliness, Iatigue, helplessness,
shock, yearning, numbness and emancipation (which may lead to Iurther guilt).
O physical sensations -- hollowness in the stomach, tightness in the chest and throat,
oversensitivity to noise, a sense oI depersonalization, shortness oI breath, muscle
weakness, lack oI energy and dry mouth.
O cognitions -- disbelieI, conIusion, preoccupation, sense oI presence and hallucinations.

Critical attribute

Model case

Borderline case

Related case

Contrary case

Antecedents

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ConcepL analysls of grlef
Consequences
Operational deIinition

Empirical reIerents

Conclusion
Crlef should noL be prevenLed because lL ls a healLhy response Lo loss lnsLead lL should be respecLed
1hose who are grlevlng should have supporL Lo help Lhem Lhrough Lhe process

1. Irom Anglo-French gref, Irom grever to GRIEVE
1

2. 34:3 sadness, suIIering, pain, regret, distress, misery, agony, mourning, sorrow, woe,
anguish, remorse, bereavement, heartache, heartbreak, mournIulness Their grieI soon
gave way to anger.
8,/3088 delight, comIort, joy, cheer, happiness, consolation, rejoicing, solace, gladness
3. come to grief 3f4rmal) Iail, Iounder, break down, come unstuck, miscarry, Iall Ilat on
your Iace, meet with disaster So many marriages have come to grieI over lack oI money.


grieI grI|
keen mental suIIering or distress over aIIliction or loss.
mental suIIering or distress in response to a threatened or real loss, as loss oI a body part or
Iunction, death oI another person, or loss oI one's possessions, job, status, or ideals; see also
MOURNING. Various theorists have proposed stages oI grieving; see descriptions under DYING.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary oI Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh
Edition. 2003 by Saunders, an imprint oI Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

grieI
Etymology: , gravis, heavy


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ConcepL analysls of grlef
Philosophical; -ehaviors -- sleep and appetite disturbances, absent-minded behavior, social
withdrawal, dreams oI the deceased, avoiding reminders oI the deceased, searching and calling
out, sighing, restless overactivity, crying, visiting places or objects that remind the survivor oI
the deceased, and treasuring objects that belonged to the deceased. Other behaviors, not listed by
Worden, may include abuse oI alcohol and drugs.
An even broader picture oI grieI might also include the Iollowing dimensions:
O spiritual or philosophical -- search Ior meaning, eIIorts to make sense oI this loss and
accept it within the context oI their religious and or spiritual belieIs. This may involve the
reconstruction oI their religious and or philosophical belieIs; the bereaved may alter their
view oI the loss; or they may retain their earlier spiritual belieIs while developing an
additional, sometimes contradictory, view oI liIe as it relates to their loss. Sometimes it
involves "compartmentalizing" their belieIs.
O interpersonal -- changes, oIten disruptive ones, may result in relationships because oI
thoughts, Ieelings and behaviors oI the bereaved. Some persons may experience sexual
problems, because oI what the sexual act symbolizes to them. This aspect oI grieI is oI
particular relevance to the Iamily context.








REFERENCES
1 Lgan kA and Arnold 8L (2003) Crlef and 8ereavemenL Care" Amerlcan !ournal of nurslng
vol103 no 9 pp 4232
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ConcepL analysls of grlef
2. Colllns Lngllsh ulcLlonary CompleLe and unabrldged ParperColllns ubllshers 1991 1994
1998 2000 2003
3. 1he Amerlcan PerlLage ulcLlonary of Lhe Lngllsh Language lourLh LdlLlon copyrlghL 2000 by
PoughLon Mlfflln Company updaLed ln 2009 ubllshed by PoughLon Mlfflln Company All rlghLs
reserved
4. Dictionary oI Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. 2003 by
Saunders, an imprint oI Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
5. age creaLed 1/96 LasL updaLed 8/28/09
u8L hLLp//wwwlndlanaedu/famlygrf/unlLs/whaLlshLml CopyrlghL 19962009 kaLhleen 8
CllberL hu

Attig, T. (2001). Relearning the world: Making and Iinding meaning.
In R. A. Neimeyer,/Meaning reconstruction & the experience oI loss/ (pp.33-54),
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Handbook oI bereavement: theory, research, and intervention By Margaret S. Stroebe, WolIgang
Stroebe
Gilbert, K. R. & Smart, . S. (1992). GrieI on the individual level: The grieving process.
In K. R. Gilbert, & . S. Smart, /Coping with inIant or Ietal loss: The couple's healing
process/ (pp. 27-49), New York: Brunner/Mazel Pub. Co.
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. 2009, Elsevi


AuLhors Mellnda SmlLh MA and !eanne Segal hu Coplng wlLh Crlef and Loss
undersLandlng Lhe Crlevlng rocess
LasL updaLed CcLober 2011

AuAM Medlcal Lncyclopedla Crlef Mournlng Crlevlng 8ereavemenL LasL revlewed lebruary 18
2010


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ConcepL analysls of grlef
2
a : deep and poignant distress caused by or as iI by bereavement
b : a cause oI such suIIering
3
a : an unIortunate outcome : disaster used chieIly in the phrase come to grieI
b : mishap, misadventure
c : trouble, annoyance enough grieI Ior one day~
d : annoying or playIul criticism getting grieI Irom his Iriends~
See grieI deIined Ior English-language learners
See grieI deIined Ior kids
Examples oI GRIEF
He has been unable to recover Irom his grieI at his son's death.
She was overcome with grieI.
the joys and grieIs oI our lives
I've had enough grieI Ior one day.
Trying to Iix the computer isn't worth the grieI.
He's taken a lot oI grieI Irom his Iriends.
His Iriends have been giving him a lot oI grieI.
Origin oI GRIEF
Middle English greI, Irom Anglo-French greI, grieI injustice, calamity, Irom greI,
adjective heavy, grievous, Irom Vulgar atin *grevis, alteration oI atin gravis
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to GRIEF
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ConcepL analysls of grlef
Synonyms: aIIliction, anguish, doleIulness, dolor, sorrow, heartache, heartbreak,
sorriness, woe
Antonyms: blessedness, bliss, blissIulness, cheer, cheerIulness, cheeriness, delight,
ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, Ielicity,
gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleeIulness, happiness, joy, joyIulness, joyousness,
jubilation, pleasure, rapture, rapturousness
|more
See Synonym Discussion at sorrow
Rhymes with GRIEF
beeI, brieI, chieI, IieI, keI, leaI, lieI, reeI, sheaI, thieI
earn More About GRIEF
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms Ior "grieI"
Spanish-English Dictionary: Translation oI "grieI"
Medical Dictionary: DeIinition oI "grieI"
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