A nurse is leading a bereavement group. Which of the following group members should the nurse identify as being at high risk for having difficulty grieving? Select all that apply

Question

A. A widower who has recently experienced the death of two good friends
B. A man whose wife died suddenly after a cerebrovascular accident
C. A widow who, after a year, allowed removal of life support from her terminally ill husband
D. A woman who had a competitive relationship with her recently deceased brother
E. A young couple whose child recently died of a genetic disorder

Answer 1

ANS: A, B, D, E
Several factors have been identified that may make the grief response more difficult: grieving when the bereaved person was strongly dependent on the lost entity, the relationship with the lost entity was highly ambivalent, the individual experienced a number of recent losses, the loss is that of a young person, the individual's physical or psychological health is unstable, and the bereaved person perceived responsibility for the loss. A widow who has experienced the process of loss for an extended period of time is more likely in the stage of acceptance and resolution of grief.