Theory of Chronic Sorrow and Nursing Application
The theory of chronic sorrow is a middle range nursing theory explored largely by Georgene Gaskill Eakes, Mary Lermnann Burke and Maragret A. Hainsworth. The theory provides framework for understanding and working with individuals who have experienced a significant loss of a loved one. As stated by Eakes et al. (1998, p. 179), Chronic sorrow is described as “…the periodic recurrence of permanent, pervasive sadness or other grief related feelings associated with a significant loss.” As nurses, it is vitally important to understand and be aware of the high potential for chronic sorrow to occur when treating patients across the life span with chronic and traumatic conditions.
Chronic sorrow was introduced to literature over 50 years ago by Olshanksy in which he characterized recurring episodes of grief seen in parents of children with mental deficits (as cited in Eakes et al., 1998) Olshanksy described chronic sorrow as a pervasive, recurrent sadness that was viewed as a normal response to disruptions of expected normalcy of parents with children of mental and/or physical disabilities (as cited in Eakes et al., 1998). ). It is important to note chronic sorrow is not only associated with feelings of grief and sorrow, but also emotions of helplessness, fear, anger, and frustration (Eakes et al, 1998). Kennedy (1970) describes chronic sorrow as grief lasting 2 or more months. Nurses need to be able to identify these feelings in order to effectively help those experiencing signs and symptoms of chronic sorrow.
Hobdell, Grant, Valencia, Mare, et al. (2007) describe chronic sorrow and coping in families of children with epilepsy. Hobdell et al. (2007) state parents’ perceptions of t...
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...larship , 30 (2), 179-184.
Hainsworth, M. A. (1994). Living with Multiple Sclerosis: The Experience of Chronic Sorrow. The Journal of Neuroscience Nursing , 26, 237-240.
Hobdell, E. (1996). Response to "Chronic Sorrow In Persons With Parkinson's and Their Spouses". Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice , 10 (4), 367-370.
Isaksson, A.-K., & Ahlstrom, G. (2008). Managing Chronic Sorrow: Experience of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing , 40 (3), 180-191.
Kennedy, J. Maternal Reactions to The Birth of a Defective baby. Social Casework , 57, 410-416.
Lindgren, C. L. (1996). Chronic Sorrow in Persons With Parkinson's and Their Spouses. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice , 10 (4), 351-366.
McDermott, J. A. (1988). Parental Attitudes and Coping Behaviors in Families of Children with Epilepsy. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing , 20, 174-179.
Mairs’ piece is a careful examination of her experience with MS and her perspective towards her future. In contrast, Soyster writes humorously of a particular incident he had with MS and artfully weaves his ideas about the disease in with his story. In both instances, the authors share the purpose of narrating their encounter with MS to the world to raise awareness.
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. During this time, life is not only difficult for the patient, but also for their loved ones. Families must learn to cope together and to work out the best options for the patient and the rest of the family. Although it may not be fair at times, things may need to be centered on or around the patient no matter what the circumstance. (Abbott, 2003) Sacrifices may have to be made during difficult times. Many factors are involved when dealing with chronic illnesses. Coping with chronic illnesses alter many different emotions for the patients and the loved ones. Many changes occur that are very different and difficult to get used to. (Abbott, 2003) It is not easy for someone to sympathize with you when they haven’t been in the situation themselves. No matter how many books they read or people they talk to, they cannot come close to understanding.
Many people, like myself, after watching an episode of “The Michael Jay Fox Show,” started to be come curious as to what exactly this disease is. You ask yourself; What is this disease? What causes it? Can it be passed down from generation to generation? Is there a treatment? What would your life be like suffering from this? Through my research on Parkinson’s disease, I am determined to answer these questions. I hope to have a better understanding on this disease, and how it affects the lives of patients that I might see in a hospital.
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the community resulting in significant disability. This global problem has consumed the lives of many. “Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected” (Statistics on Parkinson’s, 2014). Once this unbiased disease has begun to affect the patient it is a lifelong battle. Parkinson’s disease has a tremendous impact on the patient as they battle for their independence and plead for their acceptance into their own community setting. People living with Parkinson’s disease struggle with tremors, bradykinesia and rigidity. It takes a skilled nurse to be able to care for the patient suffering with Parkinson. With education, support and exercise the patient will be able to feel some sense of hope for their future. The purpose of this paper to is educate the community about Parkinson’s disease and the impact on the patient and on the nurse caring for the patient.
Nurse’s play a very important role in the delivery of care to an older person and in complex disease such as Parkinson’s disease, the care provided by a nurse is vital for both the patient and the family of the affected person. The aim of this essay is to understand briefly about Parkinson’s disease and associated issues and the role of the nurse in the management of the condition.
This article investigates the need for expanded grief interventions in the ID population. The authors look at a growing interest in the signs of grief that cause long term problems while acknowledging that too little is known about the grieving
Parkinson Disease There exists a group of people who live the final years of their lives in glass boxes. They are perfectly capable of seeing outside, but incapable of reaching out to the world around them. Their emotions can not be shown through facial expression, and as their condition continues, speech also becomes difficult or even impossible. These people are men and women of all races and geographical areas, constituting one percent of the world’s population over 50 years old.
...ry work, medical industry work and other areas that require steady and stable hand control. The Michael J. Fox Foundation website allows for people to post comments and I was touched by the strength that these individuals have. Jo Dee Biddle, who is a caregiver and loved one of Parkinson’s patient posted “If I have learned anything about PD in 28 years, it is to take things one day at a time. If it's a good day, seize the moment. If it's not, don't apologize.” I think that this is such an inspiring way to look at daily life with Parkinson’s. This attitude and approach will make the good days with this disease be even greater and the harder days easier to cope. There is much that is unknown about this disease, but there are many foundations and research efforts that support furthering the cause of research and continuous search for early diagnosis.
Leggett, A., Zarit, S., Taylor, A., & Galvin, J. (2010). Stress and burden among caregivers of patients with lewy body dementia. The Gerontologist, 51(1), 76-85.
My earliest experiences of observing nursing in action occurred during my last two years of high school. My father was diagnosed with cancer during the spring of my junior year and died right before my senior year. During that short time I watched as the nurses cared for him and I could see compassion and empathy in the way they looked at him. It never occurred to me until after I had raised my children that I wanted to be able to help people in the same way those nurses helped my dad. But now when I tell people that I want to be an oncology nurse, people often respond by saying that they would never choose that type of nursing. They say that they could not stand to watch their patients die so frequently. Their reactions, along with this course in death and dying, have made me question how I might be able to bear the challenges of nursing in an area where death of my patients may be common. I believe that oncology will be a positive specialty to work in because of the consistent advances in prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer. Furthermore, I believe that William Worden’s four tasks of mourning as presented in our text book is a good framework for the oncology nurse to use in order to cope with the repeated losses inherent in this type of nursing (Leming and Dickinson, 2011).
The characters in Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones are faced with the difficult task of overcoming the loss of Susie, their daughter and sister. Jack, Abigail, Buckley, and Lindsey each deal with the loss differently. However, it is Susie who has the most difficulty accepting the loss of her own life. Several psychologists separate the grieving process into two main categories: intuitive and instrumental grievers. Intuitive grievers communicate their emotional distress and “experience, express, and adapt to grief on a very affective level” (Doka, par. 27). Instrumental grievers focus their attention towards an activity, whether it is into work or into a hobby, usually relating to the loss (Doka par. 28). Although each character deals with their grief differently, there is one common denominator: the reaction of one affects all.
Soria, C., Callu, D., Viguier, D., El Sabbagh, S., Bulteau, C., Laroussinie, F., & Dellatolas, G. (2008). Parental report of cognitive difficulties, quality of life and rehabilitation in children with epilepsy or treated for brain tumour. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 11(4), 268-275.
The Death of Ivan Illych brings an excellent in-depth description of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s 5 cycles of grief theory. In the book, it shows how Ivan Illych goes through these cycles in their own individual way. The cycles that Kubler-Ross uses in her theory are: denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance. To get a better understanding of these cycles, this paper will describe each cycle and provide quotations that will help develop an idea of how someone going through these cycles may react.
Psychology is portrayed as a noble field where clinicians seek who help clients through the human suffering that they experience from psychiatric issues. There is controversy as to what constitutes human suffering to the extent that therapeutic and pharmacological interventions need to occur. The line between normal functioning or coping with the realities of life and psychiatric illness appears to blur further with every new addition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) from the American Psychiatric Association (APA). An example of this blurring is the proposed addition of Complicated Grief Disorder which has the potential to medicalize and dehumanize an adaptive process that occurs when one is bereft of a relationship. What is deemed abnormal by one generation, in one edition of the DSM can be totally revised in another edition. But what is abnormal and normal in our society at any given period?
Bereaved Parents go through grief, but extremely more intense than the average individual who has lost a loved one. Grief is different for every individual depending on the loss, and person they lost. Regarding implications and policy for grief, my finding point to the need of education around this topic for schools, social workers, hospitals and therapists. More professional’s services should be provided for not just individuals going through grief, but individuals who have lost a child or who have prolonged grief. Support groups and specialize grief interventions should be implanted into communities for families who are having a difficulty adapting to the death of their child. The high rates of marital problems, health related problems and depression should also be addressed. There should be some therapeutic interventions that reach out to bereaved parents