A client is diagnosed with having a stillborn infant.At first,she appears stunned by the news,cries a little,and then asks the nurse to call her mother.What is the proper term for the phase of bereavement that this client is experiencing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The immediate reaction to news of a perinatal loss or infant death encompasses a period of acute distress.Disbelief and denial can occur.However,parents also feel very sad and depressed.Intense outbursts of emotion and crying are normal.However,a lack of affect,euphoria,and calmness may occur and may reflect numbness,denial,or personal ways of coping with stress.Anticipatory grief applies to the grief related to a potential loss of an infant.The parent grieves in preparation of the infant's possible death,although he or she clings to the hope that the child will survive.Intense grief occurs in the first few months after the death of the infant.This phase encompasses many different emotions,including loneliness,emptiness,yearning,guilt,anger,and fear.Reorganization occurs after a long and intense search for meaning.Parents are better able to function at work and home,experience a return of self-esteem and confidence,can cope with new challenges,and have placed the loss in perspective.

A Client Is Diagnosed with Having a Stillborn Infant