A therapeutic approach to bereavement counselling

Nurses are increasingly caring for bereaved people therefore a basic knowledge of the grieving process and appropriate interventions are essential. Research has shown that factors surrounding death can predispose bereaved people to experiencing abnormal and complicated grief processes. One such factor is a sudden bereavement. One third of all deaths in hospitals occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. In this article, nursing interventions are explored and discussed along with implications for nursing theory, practice, management and education.