NSG 3130 Exam 3 Study Questions Latest Practice Test
with 130 Questions and Correct Answers/ NSG 3130
Exam 3
GRIEF AND LOSS
Foundational Concepts
Why is grief a difficult topic for patients and nurses to discuss?
• It is emotional and subjective
• There is no single 'right' way to grieve
• Nurses must avoid judgment
• Grief is influenced by culture, relationships, life stage, and coping styles
Why is self-awareness important when caring for grieving patients or families?
• Helps maintain professional presence
• Prevents projecting personal emotions onto patients
• Encourages empathetic communication
• Allows nurse to remain therapeutic rather than personal
What is the difference between grief, loss, and bereavement?
• Grief: Emotional response to loss (internal experience)
• Loss: Change in a valued person, situation, or object
• Bereavement: State of having experienced a loss through death (the
objective fact)
What are the four main types of loss?
,Type Description Example
Death of a family member, loss o
Actual loss Can be recognized by others
limb
Felt by the person but intangible to
Perceived loss Loss of self-esteem, loss of youth
others
Anticipatory Occurs before the actual loss
Grieving before a loved one dies
loss happens
Situational loss Sudden, unexpected loss Loss from trauma, natural disast
What are the types of grief?
Type Description
Normal grief Common emotional reactions including sadness, anger, guilt
Anticipatory grief Begins before the actual loss occurs
Disenfranchised Grief not openly acknowledged or socially supported (ex: loss of ex-
grief spouse, pet loss, miscarriage)
Complicated grief Grief that lasts longer than expected and disrupts functioning
Anticipatory Grief
What is anticipatory grieving and when does it occur?
• Begins before the actual loss
• Affects both patients and family members
, • Involves grieving the loss before death
• Allows time for closure, saying goodbye, and preparation
How should nurses care for terminally ill patients and their families during
anticipatory grieving?
• Treat the patient and family as a unit of care
• Focus on symptom management
• Ensure comfort measures
• Preserve dignity
• Be present and compassionate
• Allow time for expressions of feelings
• Support meaningful interactions and closure
Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief
What are the five stages of grief according to Kübler-Ross?
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Important note: Stages are not sequential. Patients may move back and forth,
skip stages, or experience multiple stages at once.
What characterizes the denial stage of grief?
• Person refuses to accept the diagnosis or loss
• May seek multiple medical opinions
• Serves as a defense mechanism to buffer the shock
, • Nursing intervention: Be supportive, do not force acceptance, allow the
patient to process at their own pace
How do patients express anger during grief, and how should nurses respond?
• Patient expression: May direct anger verbally or physically at family, staff,
God, or situation
• Nurse response: Stay calm, do not take it personally, ensure safety, offer
coping strategies, acknowledge the anger as part of grieving
What behaviors occur during the bargaining stage?
• Patient tries to negotiate for more time or a different outcome
• May make promises to God or others ("If I live, I'll be a better person")
• May seek experimental treatments
• Nursing intervention: Listen attentively, avoid giving false hope, do not
reinforce unrealistic bargains
What occurs during the depression stage of grief, and how should nurses
respond?
• Patient experience: Acknowledges the reality of death; may withdraw, cry,
show profound sadness
• Nursing intervention: Avoid false reassurance ("Everything will be fine");
offer presence, silence, and empathy; allow expression of sadness; do not
try to "cheer up" the patient
What characterizes the acceptance stage of grief?
• Patient comes to terms with death
• May become quiet and reflective
• May wish to limit visitors
• Often described as peaceful rather than happy
• Nursing intervention: Respect the need for quiet and privacy; provide
comfort; be present without demanding interaction
with 130 Questions and Correct Answers/ NSG 3130
Exam 3
GRIEF AND LOSS
Foundational Concepts
Why is grief a difficult topic for patients and nurses to discuss?
• It is emotional and subjective
• There is no single 'right' way to grieve
• Nurses must avoid judgment
• Grief is influenced by culture, relationships, life stage, and coping styles
Why is self-awareness important when caring for grieving patients or families?
• Helps maintain professional presence
• Prevents projecting personal emotions onto patients
• Encourages empathetic communication
• Allows nurse to remain therapeutic rather than personal
What is the difference between grief, loss, and bereavement?
• Grief: Emotional response to loss (internal experience)
• Loss: Change in a valued person, situation, or object
• Bereavement: State of having experienced a loss through death (the
objective fact)
What are the four main types of loss?
,Type Description Example
Death of a family member, loss o
Actual loss Can be recognized by others
limb
Felt by the person but intangible to
Perceived loss Loss of self-esteem, loss of youth
others
Anticipatory Occurs before the actual loss
Grieving before a loved one dies
loss happens
Situational loss Sudden, unexpected loss Loss from trauma, natural disast
What are the types of grief?
Type Description
Normal grief Common emotional reactions including sadness, anger, guilt
Anticipatory grief Begins before the actual loss occurs
Disenfranchised Grief not openly acknowledged or socially supported (ex: loss of ex-
grief spouse, pet loss, miscarriage)
Complicated grief Grief that lasts longer than expected and disrupts functioning
Anticipatory Grief
What is anticipatory grieving and when does it occur?
• Begins before the actual loss
• Affects both patients and family members
, • Involves grieving the loss before death
• Allows time for closure, saying goodbye, and preparation
How should nurses care for terminally ill patients and their families during
anticipatory grieving?
• Treat the patient and family as a unit of care
• Focus on symptom management
• Ensure comfort measures
• Preserve dignity
• Be present and compassionate
• Allow time for expressions of feelings
• Support meaningful interactions and closure
Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief
What are the five stages of grief according to Kübler-Ross?
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Important note: Stages are not sequential. Patients may move back and forth,
skip stages, or experience multiple stages at once.
What characterizes the denial stage of grief?
• Person refuses to accept the diagnosis or loss
• May seek multiple medical opinions
• Serves as a defense mechanism to buffer the shock
, • Nursing intervention: Be supportive, do not force acceptance, allow the
patient to process at their own pace
How do patients express anger during grief, and how should nurses respond?
• Patient expression: May direct anger verbally or physically at family, staff,
God, or situation
• Nurse response: Stay calm, do not take it personally, ensure safety, offer
coping strategies, acknowledge the anger as part of grieving
What behaviors occur during the bargaining stage?
• Patient tries to negotiate for more time or a different outcome
• May make promises to God or others ("If I live, I'll be a better person")
• May seek experimental treatments
• Nursing intervention: Listen attentively, avoid giving false hope, do not
reinforce unrealistic bargains
What occurs during the depression stage of grief, and how should nurses
respond?
• Patient experience: Acknowledges the reality of death; may withdraw, cry,
show profound sadness
• Nursing intervention: Avoid false reassurance ("Everything will be fine");
offer presence, silence, and empathy; allow expression of sadness; do not
try to "cheer up" the patient
What characterizes the acceptance stage of grief?
• Patient comes to terms with death
• May become quiet and reflective
• May wish to limit visitors
• Often described as peaceful rather than happy
• Nursing intervention: Respect the need for quiet and privacy; provide
comfort; be present without demanding interaction
