[Applying the Concept of Grief Counseling in Caring for an Elderly Dialysis Patient With Bereavement Due to the Death of Spouse: A Nursing Care Experience].

This article describes a 76-year-old dialysis patient who experienced widowhood. The nursing intervention occurred between April 2nd to June 28th, 2015. Using observation, interviews, medical records and health examinations, the authors assessed the patient's physical, psychological, social, intellectual, and spiritual status. The patient not only presented poor appetite, insomnia, hopelessness, and grief but had also attempted suicide. Thus, three health problems were identified, including dysfunctional grieving, hopelessness, and sleep pattern disturbance. Employing caring, active listening, and empathy, we helped the patient achieve the four tasks of Worden's Mourning: (1) to accept the reality of loss; (2) to work through the pain of grief; (3) to adjust to an environment in which the deceased is missing; and (4) to emotionally relocate the deceased and move on with life. With comprehensive and persistent nursing intervention, the patient got the support from her family members and eventually readapted to life without the deceased and continued to take hemodialysis and found new life motivation.