You're faced with the loss of a patient. How can you uphold professionalism and comfort their family?

Losing a patient can be pathetic, it’s crucial to balance professionalism with empathy while supporting the grieving family. Start by offering sincere condolences, using gentle and compassionate language. Maintain a calm and composed demeanor, which can help provide a sense of stability in such a difficult time. Acknowledge the family’s grief without rushing them, allowing space for their emotions. While remaining professional, be present and attentive, showing genuine care. If appropriate, offer any necessary information or resources, but always do so with sensitivity, understanding that this is a deeply emotional moment for them.

Losing a loved one of any age is hard. Losing a child is unnatural. Children should not die before their parents and there is little that a healthcare provider can say or do to ease the loss. It is best to be present, watch behavior, and read the room. With one young terminally ill patient, dad sat silently in the corner of the room. The young girl's favorite song played over and over on the CD player, Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton. As I suctioned his daughter's airway, dad asked "why do you bother?" Rather than giving him a technical explanation, I responded, "Have you had enough?" Dad answered, "No, but I think she has." Doctors immediately consulted with the family regarding end of life care.

I think the most important thing is to be real with yourself. It is sad when someone dies. You are allowed to be sad. It makes you human to be sad. If you are NOT feeling feelings, that's a red flag and time to reach out for help. Give yourself time to process yoru pain. One of my clients has started the habit of stopping by a beautiful lake on the way home after losing a NICU baby. She sits there and writes a letter to the baby about how she feels and how sad it is that they couldn't save the baby. Sometimes she shares it with the parents. It's mostly for her.

É fundamental informar de forma clara e objetiva, dispor-se a tirar eventuais dúvidas e, demonstrar empatia com o sofrimento da família.

Como Cristão posso salientar que está foi a vontade soberana do SENHOR JESUS. Posso e fiz o Meu Melhor, mas o Melhor é o que DEUS decidiu fazer.

Kindness is always key. People grieve in different ways, and being respectful of this helps them move through it. The "next steps" aren't always clear to loved ones, so being a guide for them can help, too. Many families need reassurance that their loved one was supported to the best of everyone's abilities. Part of my work involves end-of-life patients, and the situation may be different in cases of unexpected deaths. But regardless of how much time passes, the moment of death can cause very strong emotions. Supporting loved ones or finding a chaplain, social worker, or palliative care doctor may alleviate some of their suffering.

Find out if there are any specific rituals to be fulfilled during or after the dying process. One family asked to spread rose petals on their daughter's bed. Another family brought in a white gown for their daughter. The request meant temporarily disconnecting the ventilator to get the gown over her head. With the help of several nurses moving quickly, we managed to do it! Another patient was part of a motorcycle group. His entire gang filled the ICU room. Twenty plus, big, burly guys who insisted that I paused medication administration to hold hands as they sang gospel hymns.

Many healthcare centers have a chaplain on call to provide non-religious spiritual care and emotional support. Chaplains offer support to all families and patients regardless of religious beliefs or affiliation.

The most comforting thing you can do if the patient is at the end of their life, is to help their family truly understand what will happen to their loved one in the final hours/days before death. How to read the monitors to know when they are closer to death, how to speak to them, keep the room peaceful, encourage family who visit to be respectful of the room, help them realize how important it is to allow the dying to understand what is coming so they aren't afraid (whether the nurse explains it to them, or the nurse explains it to their family members who share it with them). Mostly that the family and patient not be afraid as death is near. That you educate them so they can help the dying be comforted and at peace and be near at the end.

Caregiver burnout is real. Try to balance the caregiving role. For example, if you take care of patients all day and then go home to take care of your family, you never get a break from the caregiving role. Make a list of family responsibilities and delegate jobs. And don't let family members (or yourself) imply that they are "helping" you. You are already working full or part-time. It isn't your responsibility to carry the weight of responsibilities for the family.