A 2-year-old has recently been diagnosed with a terminal type of cancer but is not experiencing any severe symptoms of the illness at this time. The mother of the patient is depressed and feels guilt over the illness. She admits to mentally planning the funeral and expecting to be devastated. The nurse identifies the mother as experiencing which stage of grief?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mother is experiencing anticipatory grief, which occurs when a person begins to grieve the loss of a loved one before the actual loss happens. In this case, the mother is mentally preparing for her child's death despite the child currently not showing severe symptoms.

A 2-Year-Old Has Recently Been Diagnosed with a Terminal Type