Nurses' Grief Reactions to a Patient's Suicide

TOPIC: A patient's suicide may threaten the nurse's health and work performance until grief and mourning are transformed. PURPOSE: To examine the literature, bereavement theories, and recommendations for supporting nurses' bereavement. SOURCES: Bereavement literature on Medline, CINAHL, and PsychInfo from 1965-2001, and clinicians' and nurses' responses to a patient's death by suicide. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses need a support system to help them cope with grief after a patient's suicide. Having knowledge of bereavement and using therapeutic support can help prevent burnout or stress and can encourage constructive coping strategies that transform grief. Grieving is facilitated when nurses recognize their own mortality and take time to process their grief.